ADDRESSES 


DELIVERED  AT  THE 


INAUGURATION  OF  THE  FACULTY 


AND 


AYING  OF  THE 


CoRNERjjSTONE 


JIT  *1  AL EJYTO ll/VV, 


SEPTEMBER  3d  AND  4th,  1867. 


-A.XiIjElTTO'Wr3Sr,  : 

E.  D.  LEISENRING  &  CO.,  BOOK  AND  JOB  PRINTERS, 

1808. 


I 


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Muhlenberg  College,  as  its  Corner-Stone  sets  forth,  was 
founded  in  1848  and  re-constituted  in  1867.  The  desire  to 
establish  in  the  city  (then  borough)  of  Allentown,  an  insti¬ 
tution  of  learning,  primarily  as  a  teachers'  seminary  but 
also  as  a  classical  school,  in  which  not  only  science  and 
literature  should  have  their  place  but  also  where  positive 
religious  instruction  take  important  ground,  in  which  not 
only  the  dead  languages,  nor  yet  the  English  only,  but  also 
the  German  should  be  prominent,  prompted  the  establish¬ 
ment  of  the  Allentown  Seminary,  which  was  formally  opened 
on  the  first  of  May  1848.  The  object  of  the  institution  is 
clearly  stated  in  a  letter  from  its  first  principal,*)  dated 
Philadelphia,  March  1848. 

“  This  Institution  is  especially  designed  for  those  who 
desire  to  prepare  themselves  for  the  sphere  of  the  teacher. 
It  is  however  easily  seen,  that  those  also  can  attend  the  In¬ 
stitution  with  advantage,  who  propose  studying  either 
"Pheology,  Jurisprudence  or  Medicine  and  wish  to  prepare 
themselves  for  one  of  the  higher  classes  of  College,  and  also 
those  who  are  seeking  important  acquisitions  in  knowledge 
and  a  higher  culture.  This  institution  will  oder  especial 
advantages  to  those  who  desire  a  thorough  and  practical 
knowledge  of  the  German  language.”  “The  moral  culture 
of  the  pupils  will  receive  special  attention.”  Bible  History, 


*)  Rev.  C.  R.  Kessler  to  the  “  Jugend-Freund published  by  Rev.  S.  K. 
Brobst,  the  originator  of  the  enterprise. 


4 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


Biblical  Antiquities,  and  Christian  Morals  were  enumerated 
among  the  regular  studies.  Such  were  essentially  the  funda¬ 
mental  principles  of  the  institution,  and  its  founder  developed 
their  practicability.  The  school  from  a  very  small  begin¬ 
ning — five  pupils — grew  so  rapidly,  that  within  five  years, 
the  front  tier  of  buildings,  consisting  of  central  building  and 
two  wings,  were  necessary  to  its  accommodation.  In  the 
heighth  of  its  prosperity  its  founder  was  summoned  from 
this  life,  and  the  Institution  passed  into  other  hands. 

Its  existence  continued  under  the  name  of  Allentown 
Seminary,  until  1864,  when  it  was  regularly  chartered  by 
the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania  under  “the  name,  style 
and  title  of  Allentown  Collegiate  Institute  and  Military 
Academy.”  Under  this  charter  it  made  its  first  advances 
towards  a  college  grade.  The  several  subordinate  depart¬ 
ments  as  at  present  existing  were  constituted,  and  also  a 
limited  collegiate  course,  but  remained  more  theoretical 
than  practical.  Though  nominally  under  the  control  of  a 
corporate  body,  the  Institute  was  really  a  private  school. 
About  this  time,  because  of  overtures  made,  the  Synod  of 
Pennsylvania  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  directed 
its  attention  to  the  securing  of  such  an  influence  in  the 
school,  as  would  justify  it  in  making  it  its  officially  recognized 
institution  of  learning.  The  result  was,  the  formation  of  a 
joint  stock  company  for  the  purchase  of  the  property,  and 
management  of  the  school  by  a  Board  of  Trustees,  two- 
thirds  elected  by  the  stockholders  and  one  third  by  the  said 
Synod.  The  charter  was  amended  to  suit  the  new  aspect  of 
things,  and  in  February  of  1867  the  new  board  was  elected, 
and  on  April  4th  of  the  same  year,  took  charge  of  the  In¬ 
stitution. 

On  May  7th  it  was  Resolved — “that  the  Academic 
course  cover  a  period  of  three  years ,”  and  that  the  College 
course  cover  a  period  of  four  years,  embracing  the 
usual  college  classes — Freshman,  Sophomore,  Junior,  and 
Senior.  On  Mav  *21st  it  was  Resolved — “that  the  name  of 


MUHLENBERG  COLLEGE. 


5 


the  institution  be  “  Muhlenberg  College,”  with  a  clear, 
full  and  prominent  announcement  of  the  lower  depart¬ 
ments.  This  brings  the  brief  historical  resume ,  to  the  re¬ 
constitution  of  the  school.  During  all  its  existence,  not¬ 
withstanding  the  alterations  to  which  it  was  subject,  there 
was  a  praiseworthy  fidelity  to  the  original  object  of  the 
school.  It  has  been  the  means  of  intellectual  and  spiritual 
development  and  culture  to  many.  The  branches  of  learning 
originally  made  part  of  the  course  of  study,  have  always  re¬ 
ceived  attention,  and  what  was  especially  promised — facili¬ 
ties  for  the  study  of  the  German  has  been  faithfully  kept. 

The  intention  of  the  present  corporation  in  this  respect  is 
presented  in  a  Circular  published  at  an  early  stage  of  the 
movement,  and  recorded  as  it  is  in  the  Stock  subscription 
book,  may  justly  be  looked  upon  as  the  fundamental  policy 
of  the  corporation.  It  will  at  once  be  seen  that  the  deter¬ 
mination  is  still  to  recognize  the  old  land-marks,  and  train 
not  only  the  mind,  but  also  the  heart;  to  train  not  only  for 
earth,  but  also  for  heaven.  The  character  of  the  school  is 
set  forth  in  the  Circular  in  the  following  language: — 

Its  Literary  Features. — It  shall  remain  as  it  now  is,  a 
school  for  literary  culture,  and  shall  furnish  the  highest  fa- 
cilities  for  preparation  for  either  of  the  learned  professions 
for  the  vocation  of  teaching,  or  for  business,  as  it  may  please 
those  seeking  the  advantages  of  the  institution. 

Its  Departments. — These  are  to  remain  graded  as  at 
present,  and  carried  to  the  highest  degree  of  efficiency  pos¬ 
sible.  They  are  a  Primary,  Preparatory ,  Academic ,  and  Col¬ 
legiate  Department. 

An  Eclectic  Course. — As  pupils  often  have  special  ends 
in  view  in  attending  an  institution  of  learning,  and  there¬ 
fore  desire  to  select  such  studies  as  will  further  those  ends, 
the  most  ample  facilities  possible  in  this  respect  will  be  pro¬ 
vided. 

A  Peculiar  Feature. — It  is  proposed  to  furnish  such 
means  for  a  knowledge  of  the  German,  as  will  make  it 


6 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 


equally  advantageous  to  both  English  and  German  pupils 
to  attend  the  institution,  giving  to  the  English  pupil  every 
facility  for  German,  and  to  the  German  every  facility  for 
acquiring  a  knowledge  of  the  English  language. 

Its  Religious  Aspects. — The  institution  will  not  be  a 
theological  one,  but  under  God  it  shall  always  have  a  health¬ 
ful  and  positive  religious  influence  and  instruction  based 
upon  Evangelical  Protestantism. 

The  Board  of  Trustees,  elected  under  the  amended  Char¬ 
ter,  took  charge  of  the  institution,  as  above  stated  on  the 
4th  of  April  1867.  Addressing  themselves  assiduously,  to 
the  duties  of  their  position,  the  Board  soon  perceived  the 
necessity  of  additional  buildings  if  the  expectations  of  the 
community,  and  friends  in  general  of  the  college,  were  to 
be  realized.  In  reliance  upon  God,  they  resolved  to  build, 
and  September  3rd  and  4tli,  1867,  were  appointed  for  the 
ceremonies  of  inaugurating  the  faculty  and  laying  the  Cor¬ 
ner-Stone  of  the  new  building. 

On  the  evening  of  September  3rd  (Tuesday),  the  Board 
of  Trustees,  the  Faculty  elect,  the  Clergy,  the  Mayor  and 
Councils  of  the  city,  Students,  invited  guests  and  citizens, 
formed  in  procession  at  “  St.  John’s  Lutheran  Church,” 
headed  by  the  Allentown  Cornet  Band,  and  proceeded 
to  the  Court-House,  where  the  following  exercises  took 
place : 

Music  during  the  evening  by  the  Band,  performing 
by  special  arrangement  Old  Hundred  and  “Ein’  Feste 
Burg.’’  Opening  prayer  by  Rev.  Wood  of  the  Presbyte¬ 
rian  Church.  The  first  address,  Charge  to  the  Faculty,  was 
delivered  by  the  Hon.  R.  E.  Wright,  President  of  the  Board. 
The  second  address  by  the  Rev.  F.  A.  Muhlenberg,  D.  D., 
President  of  the  College.  The  third  address  was  delivered 
by  the  Rev.  G.  F.  Krotel,  D.  D.,  President  of  the  Synod  of 
Pennsylvania.  The  exercises  were  closed  with  the  Bene¬ 
diction. 


MUIILEN BERG  GO L LEG E . 


i 

On  the  morning  of  the  4th,  the  procession  again  formed 
at  the  same  place,  and  proceeded  to  St.  Paul’s  Lutheran 
Church,  where  music  was  discoursed  by  the  band  and  the 
choir  of  the  church,  prayer  offered  by  Prof.  Wilkin  of  Penn¬ 
sylvania  College,  Gettysburg,  and  Addresses  delivered  by 
Rev.  D.  Gans,  D.  D.,  of  the  Reformed  Church  of  Norris¬ 
town,  and  Rev.  J.  Vogelbach,  of  St.  James  Lutheran 
Church,  Philadelphia.  The  exercises  in  the  Church  being- 
ended,  the  procession  re-formed  and  proceeded  to  the  Col¬ 
lege  grounds,  where  the  Corner-Stone  was  laid  by  the  Presi¬ 
dent  in  the  name  of  the  Triune  God,  prayer  offered  by  the 
Rev.  E.  A.  Bauer,  one  of  the  Secretaries  of  the  Synod  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  the  Benediction  pronounced  by  the  Rev. 
J.  Yeager. 

The  following  Addresses  constitute  the  entire  series  of 
those  delivered  on  the  occasion  of  the  Inauguration  of  the 
Professors,  and  the  laving  of  the  Corner-Stone  of  Mühlen- 
berg  College,  with  the  exception  of  that  of  the  Rev.  I)r. 
Krotel,  which  should  have  immediately  followed  the  Inau- 
gural  of  the  President. 

The  Board  of  Trustees  used  their  utmost  efforts  to  per¬ 
suade  the  respected  President  of  the  Synod  of  Pennsylvania, 
to  furnish  a  copy  of  his  Address  for  publication,  so  that  a 
complete  list  might  be  procured  for  the  future,  but  without 
success.  The  Doctor  did  not  deliver  a  written  Address, 
and  he  urged,  in  reply  to  the  solicitations  of  the  Board,  the 
impossibility  of  reproducing  it,  under  the  accumulated 
labors  of  his  different  official  positions.  The  Board  regret 
this,  for  the  Address  of  the  Doctor  gave  great  satisfaction 
to  the  large  and  attentive  audience,  gathered  together  on  the 
occasion,  and  its  publication  would  have  increased  greatly 
the  value  of  the  present  pamphlet.  They  had  thought  of 
giving  at  least  an  analysis  of  its  contents,  but  on  reflection 
they  feel,  as  the  Doctor  has  declined  to  furnish  the  Address 
himself,  it  would  neither  be  courteous  nor  just,  and  they 
satisfy  themselves  with  the  statement,  that  the  Doctor  as¬ 
serted  in  public,  that  he  was  present  on  the  occasion,  for  the 


8 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH. 


purpose  of  aiding  the  enterprise,  as  the  representative  of  the 
Synod  of  Pennsylvania,  who  felt  interested  in  the  movement 
and  would  use  all  its  efforts  to  give  the  College  the  means 
of  establishing  itself  upon  an  enduring  basis.  We  have  no 
doubt  the  reader  will  share  with  us  in  the  regret  we  feel 
that  the  Doctor  was  not  able  to  comply  with  the  wishes  of 
the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  College. 


Address  of  Robert  E.  Wright,  Esq. 


Ladies  and  Gentlemen: 

When  one  of  England's  most  accomplished  architects  (an 
hundred  years  or  more  ago)  had  gone  to  his  eternal  home 
closing  in  honored  peacefulness  a  long,  laborious  and  useful 
life,  the  friends  who  survived  him,  proud  of  the  fame  he 
had  acquired,  and  anxious  to  hand  it  down  to  after  years, 
in  all  its  greatness,  reared,  it  is  said,  over  his  last  resting 
place,  a  simple  marble  tablet,  on  which  for  answer,  to  any 
who  might  thereafter  seek  for  his  monument,  or  ask  what 
he  had  done  on  earth,  was  carved  this  Latin  word: 

“  CIRCUMSPICE  ” 

No  labored  fulsome  epitaph  was  written,  no  long  eulo- 
gium  was  needed  ;  for  all  around,  throughout  the  length 
and  breadth  of  that  renowned  and  proud  old  city,  the  lofty 
spires,  and  massive  walls  of  many  a  noble  temple  which  his 
intellect  had  planned,  and  his  unequalled  skill  completed, 
towered  towards  the  heavens;  close  around  the  sacred 
place  in  which  his  body  rested,  rose  stately  pillar,  arch, 
and  architrave  of  his  creation,  and  high  above  it,  in  all  the 
beautiful  and  gorgeous  grandeur  which  made  it  then  and 
ever  since,  a  wonder  of  the  world,  hung  the  stupendous 
dome  which  he  had  poised  in  air,  the  proudest  monument 
that  most  unbounded  reverence  could  hope  to  rear,  or 
wildest  love  of  earthly  fame  aspire  to. 

With  feelings  somewhat  akin  to  those  which  inspired 
the  simple  but  expressive  words,  in  which  this  great  man’s 
fame  is  now  recorded  can  we,  who  are  familiar  with  the 
early  history  of  the  Institution,  whose  true  commencement 
we  announce  to-night,  for  answer  to  any  who  may  ask  what 
have  its  earty  friends  accomplished,  reply: 

“LOOK  AROUND  YOU.” 


10 


ADDRESS  OF  R.  E.  WRIGHT,  ESQ. 


This  crowded  hall — this  lar^e  assemblage  of  the  wealth 

O  O 

and  intellect  and  beauty  of  our  city;  and  the  cause  which  has 
brought  us  here,  is  a  full  and  faithful  answer  to  this  ques¬ 
tion. 

We  have  met  to-night,  to  place  the  cap-stone  upon  an 
enterprise  which  has  been,  for  mail}7  years,  the  darling  ob¬ 
ject,  in  the  life  of  more  than  one  good  man  in  this  commu¬ 
nity. 

Few  in  number,  but  firm  of  purpose,  with  minds  bent 
on  the  ultimate  accomplishment  of  that  which  under  God 
has  this  day  been  accomplished,  they  knew  but  little  rest 
or  respite  from  their  labors ;  and  from  the  hour  (some 
twenty  years  ago)  in  which  a  little  band  of  students,  three 
in  number,  gathered  around  the  chair  of  its  first  preceptor, 
until  the  present,  in  which  we  are  pressed  for  room  to  re¬ 
ceive  all  who  crowd  around  its  portals,  they  paused  not, 
nor  faltered  in  their  work.  Amid  the  opposition  of  open 
foes,  and  the  faint  disheartening  praise  of  prudent  friends 
pressed  back,  by  the  action  of  those  who  are  prone  to  shrink 
from  the  exercise  of  the  efforts  which  victory  everywhere 
demands;  they  still  moved  onward,  in  the  cause  on  which 
their  hearts  were  set,  silently,  many  times  sadly,  but  ever 
earnestly,  sustained  by  an  unfaltering  faith  in  their  ultimate 
success,  until  at  length  their  object  was  attained,  and  for  the 
result  of  this  persistent  faithful  labor: 

“  C1RCÜMSPICE.” 

Would  they  were  all  with  us  here  to-night!  Some  of 
them  are  here,  but  the  mossy  marble  of  the  cemetery  rests 
upon  the  crumbling  dust  of  more  than  one  of  those  warm 
and  early  friends  of  this  Institution. 

“  We  name  them  softly  as  the  household  names  of  those  whom 
God  has  taken” 

They  rest  from  their  labors  here,  they  have  gone  to  their 
reward  in  heaven,  and  their  proudest  monument,  is  the 
triumphal  arch  which  mentally  we  rear  to-night  in  honor 
of  the  survivors. 


ADDRESS  OF  R.  E.  WRIGHT,  ESQ. 


11 


To  them,  living  and  dead,  the  hearty  thanks  of  this  com¬ 
munity  are  due.  But  for  them  and  their  unflagging  zeal 
and  enterprise,  we  should  not  he  here  to-night,  engaged  in 
the  work  for  which  we  have  assembled. 

As  President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  it  has  been  made 
mv  duty,  to  inaugurate  this  new  Institution  of  learning;  to 
set  m  motion  (so  to  speak)  the  mechanism,  which  the  wis¬ 
dom  and  the  wealth,  of  its  founders,  have  created  ;  to  in¬ 
duct  into  office  those  in  whose  hands  its  destinies  have 
been  placed,  and  introduce  them  to  the  community  whose 
patronage  and  influence  must  sustain  it. 

I  shall  most  probably  fail  to  reach  the  proper  point  in  the 
performance  of  this  most  important  and  unusual  duty  and 
trust  therefore  that  your  well  known  kindness  will  moderate 
the  merited  severity  of  your  criticism. 

t / 

That  this  is  a  most  important  epoch  in  the  history  of  our 
College  none  will  deny. 

If  cause  and  effect-  are  always  nearly  allied  to  each  other, 
— if  result  is  ever  akin  to  effort, — if  men  must  reap  as  they 
have  sown,  and  gather  up  in  harvest  time,  the  sheaves  of 
wheat,  or  tares,  which  they  have  planted,  then  do  we  stand 
to-night  in  the  most  critical  period  of  our  institutional  exis¬ 
tence. 

The  comparatively  unimportant  duties  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees,  are  well  nigh  ended.  From  their  hands  the  man¬ 
agement  of  this  institution  will  this  night  pass  into  those 
of  the  faculty,  under  whose  care  it  will  become  a  blessing  or 

a  curse  to  this  community. 

* 

Neutral  it  can  never  be.  Act  it  must  and  will,  on  many 
minds,  which  will  in  time  re-act  upon  the  world  of  mind 
around  them,  and  thus  for  good  or  evil,  will  it  influence  all 
who  come  within  its  sphere. 

Impressed  with  the  responsibility  which  rested  on  them, 
the  Board  of  Trustees  gave  to  this  subject  their  most 
earnest  thought,  and  are  glad  to  be  able  to  announce  that 
they  have  been  entirely  successful. 


12 


ADDRESS  OE  R.  E.  WRIGHT,  ESQ. 


The  chairs  of  this  institution  are  occupied  by  gentlemen 
who  will  fill  them — professors  who  will  practice  that  which 
they  profess,  and  who,  finding  their  duty  a  delight,  will  de¬ 
light  in  doing;  it. 

O  Cj 

To  them  the  destinies  of  this  college  are  now  to  be  en¬ 
trusted,  and  if  learning  and  industry,  and  sterling  integrity, 
deserve  success,  these  gentlemen  are  entitled  to  command 

it. 

Under  their  care,  sustained  by  the  kindly  feelings  of  its 
patrons,  and  the  warm  wishes  and  powerful  influence  of 
“  The  German  Evangelical  Lutheran  Ministerium  of  Pennsyl¬ 
vania  and  adjacent  States  ,”  whose  favored  protege  it  has  now 
become  we  may  strike  from  its  vocabulary  all  such  words 
as  fail  or  falter. 

Here  for  many  years  to  come,  crowds  of  enthusiastic 
eager  youths  will  gather,  to  prepare  themselves  for  that 
fierce  encounter  with  the  mighty  worlds  of  mind  and  mat¬ 
ter,  with  which  it  is  man's  fate  to  battle  while  on  earth,  and 
from  these  halls  hundreds  will  go  forth,  imbued  with  thoughts 
and  endowed  with  powers  that  will  be  felt  far  and  wide 
through  all  the  land,  and  mark  their  characters  and  seal 
their  fate  throughout  the  countless  ages  of  eternity. 

O  ye  in  whose  hands  the  future  of  this  College  has  been 
placed — see  to  it,  that  the  hopes  of  its  friends  are  not  de¬ 
stroyed,  that  the  wishes  of  its  foes,  are  disappointed.  See 
to  it,  that  in  fitting  men  for  the  manifold  duties  of  this 
world  it  shall  serve  also  as  a  seminary  for  the  University  on 
High. 

Prof.  Seip:  The  care  and  management  of  the  primary 
and  academic  departments  of  the  College  have  been  as¬ 
signed  to  you. 

In  subordination  to  the  President  of  the  Faculty,  you  are 
invested  with  its  sole  control.  To  meet  our  pupils  at  its  por¬ 
tals — to  set  their  untrained  feet  in  the  proper  path,  and  guide 
their  feeble  wandering  footsteps  up  to  the  base  ofthat  bright 
Mount  “  Whence  Science  shines  afar,”  is  your  important 
arduous  duty.  If  sir,  the  “  souls  that  rise  on  earth  have  else- 


13 


ADDRESS  OF  R.  E.  WRIGHT,  ESQ. 

where  had  their  setting”  ;  if  “trailing  clouds  of  glory  still, 
they  come  from  God,”  be  it  your  glorious  mission  to  keep 
the  little  band  entrusted  to  your  care  ever  in  the  light  and 
atmosphere  of  their  celestial  home. 

And  as  the  shadows  of  earth’s  prison  hours  begin  to  close, 
(as  close  they  will)  around  the  growing  boy,  see  that  they  leave 
no* stain  upon  the  heart.  See  that  their  feet  are  placed  upon 
a  rock,  from  which  they  can  look  calmly  on,  till  all  those 
shadows  vanish  and  every  cloud  that  dims  their  path,  tinged 
by  the  pure  bright  light  of  Heaven  shall  float  on  calm  and 
radiant  in  the  clear  blue  sky  above  them. 


Prof.  Yeager:  To  you  the  chairs  of  Chemistry  and  Bo¬ 
tany  have  been  assigned — the  duty  of  developing  for  your 
class  the  inner  constitution  and  subtler  forces  of  the  mate¬ 
rial  world,  and  the  nature  and  uses  of  the  grand  and  beau¬ 
tiful  creations,  which  spring  in  such  profusion  from  its  bo¬ 
som. 


Of  the  practical  value  of  these  studies,  and  their  tendency 
to  improve  the  intellect  and  heart  of  man,  it  were  a  waste 
of  time  to  speak. 

While  to  the  untrained  mind  this  earth  is  simply  a  vast, 
unorganized  mass  of  matter,  and  the  countless  plants  and 
trees  which  adorn  its  surface,  valuable  only,  in  so  far  as 
they  are  useful  for  the  hearth  or  workshop,  to  the  man 
of  science,  they  are  all  living,  organized  things  recipients  of, 
and  animated  by  that  life,  which  holds  the  universe  together; 
the  minutest  particle  containing  all  the  elements  of  the  mass 
from  which  it  is  taken,  as  surely  as  a  drop  of  spray  from 
the  advancing  wave,  resembles  the  mighty  sea  behind  it,  as 
indestructable  in  the  atom  as  in  the  mass,  but  ever  chang¬ 
ing  and  ever  presenting  new  combinations  and  new  practi¬ 
cal  results. 

To  the  study  and  acquisition  of  the  laws  by  which  this 
life  is  transmitted  and  received,  and  these  combinations 
and  results  produced,  your  position  in  this  Institution  calls 
you. 


14 


ADDRESS  OF  R.  E.  WRIGHT,  ESQ. 


Knowing,  as  yon  do,  that  men  are  wise  on  themes  like 
th  ese,  only  so  far  as  they  know  these  laws,  and  useful  only, 
as  they  learn  to  apply  them  ;  we  do  not  doubt  that  you  will 
give  to  these  branches  of  learning  the  whole  energy  of  your 
fresh  and  active  life,  and  that,  while  von  lead  your  stu- 
dents  on  into  the  various  arcana  of  this  portion  of  physical 
knowledge,  you  will  not  neglect  the  higher  lessons  of  wis- 
dom  which  they  are  adapted  to  teach,  and  that  unless,  as 
they  move  along,  in  the  pleasant  paths  in  which  it  is 
your  mission  now  to  lead  them,  they  learn  to  see  “books  in 
brooks,  sermons  in  stones,  and  good  in  every  thing,”  your 
highest  duty  will  not  have  been  performed. 

Let  them  not  rest  in  the  common  thought,  that  chem¬ 
istry  is  a  mere  knowledge,  however  profound,  of  salts  and 
acids,  and  botany,  an  acquaintance  with  the  names  and  uses 
of  plants;  but  teach  them  that  philosophy,  here  as  every¬ 
where,  is  valuable  only,  in  so  far  as  it  impresses  the  mind  with 
new  thoughts  in  virtue  of  its  analogies  with  the  higher  forms 
of  truths  that  are  around  us,  and  that  the  highest  use  of  all 
such  learning  is  to  raise  the  heart  of  man  from  “ nature’s 
works  to  nature's  God." 

Prof.  Fahs:  T1  le  field  of  history  is  yours,  and  through 
its  various  and  exciting  scenes,  it  will  be  your  duty  for  a 
time,  to  lead  the  students  of  this  College. 

From  the  fortunes  (good  or  bad)  of  its  countless  blood¬ 
stained  battle  fields, — from  the  consequences  which  have 
followed  the  wise  statesmanship  or  the  crooked  policy  of 
its  cabinets,  let  them  learn  the  great  but  much  neglected 
truth,  that  nations  like  men  have  characters  to  form  and 
reputations  to  acquire  and  loose,  sins  to  repent  of  and 
avoid,  and  goodness  to  aim  at  and  attain. 

Teach  them,  that  it  is  not  what  a  nation  seems  to  be,  but 
what  it  really  is  ;  not  so  much  its  written  form,  as  its  mode 
of  government,  which  marks  its  true  position  in  the  eyes  of 
the  moral  Governor  of  the  universe. 

Teach  them,  that  national  sins  are  sure  to  be  followed  by 
national  sorrow  and  that  as  by  sin  death  came  into  the 


ADDRESS  OF  R.  E.  WRIGHT,  ESQ. 


15 


world  for  man,  so  too  by  sin  will  every  nation  fall.  That, 
no  government  can  be  pure,  that  is  controlled  by  selfish,  im¬ 
pure  men,  and  that  the  holiest  aim  may  become  a  bli  ght.in 
curse  bv  reason  of  the  means  which  are  used  to  attain  it. 


That  as  nations,  great  and  prosperous  as  ours,  have  fallen, 
ours  too  may  fall,  and  will  fall,  if  we  follow  in  their  footsteps  ; 
and  that  to  become  regardless  of  the  natural,  social,  religious 
or  political  rights  of  the  humblest  citizen, to  destroy,  assail 
or  in  any  way  impair  them,  save  in  accordance  with  well 
established,  rightoua  laws,  is  the  first  step,  in  the  dark  and 
downward  path  which  leads  to  national  destruction. 

Teach  them  that  Government  was  made  for  man,  not 
man  for  government,  and  that  the  best  and  mightiest  govern¬ 
ments  on  earth  are  those,  in  which  the  rights  of  man  and 
not  the  rights  of  the  government  are  the  primary  object  of 
legislation;  so  that  when  they  go  forth  from  these  halls,  to 
mingle  with  the  world  of  politics  and  statesmanship,  which 
occupy  so  much  of  every  freeman’s  life,  they  may  enroll 
themselves  in  the  ranks  of  those,  whose  faith  and  works  ac¬ 
cord  with  the  faith  and  works  of  the  men,  who  laid  the  foun¬ 
dations  of  our  American  system,  so  broad  and  deep,  that 
neither  the  long  and  quiet  Sabbath  of  unthreatened  peace,  nor 
the  wild,  mad,  carnival  of  unbounded  wealth  and  national 
prosperity,  nor  the  brief,  tierce,  desolating  and  demoralizing 
era  of  a  hell  born  bloody,  civil  war,  with  its  attendant 
triumphs  and  defeats,  have  moved  them  from  their  place. 


Prof.  Phillips:  The  chairs  of  Rhetoric,  Logic,  English 
literature  and  Political  economy  have  been  assigned  to  you, 
and  let  me  add  most  worthily  assigned. 

Your  duties,  though  lying  chiefiy  in  the  present,  embrace 
the  rich,  exhaustless  stores  of  wisdom  which  have  been 
garnered  up  from  the  earliest  times. 

To  think  clearly  is  given  to  but  few — to  reason  with  pre¬ 
cision  is  as  high  an  accomplishment,  but  to  transmit  our 
thoughts  in  words  that  are  fitly  spoken  is  beyond  a  doubt, 
the  crowning  gift  and  glory  of  our  race.  Before  these  gifts 


16 


ADDRESS  OF  R.  E.  WRIGHT,  ESQ. 


of  God,  earth’s  most  imperial  despot  must  bow  down ; 
without  these,  all  his  wealth  and  might  are  powerless;  with 
these,  the  humblest  serf  is  mighter  than  his  master,  for  they 
are  power  and  force  which  all  the  embattled  host  of  des¬ 
potism  can  never  win. 

Send  from  your  classes,  Rev.  Sir,  to  fill  the  pulpit,  the  bar 
and  halls  of  legislation,  men  well  trained  in  these  great  gifts. 

If  false  and  feeble  logic,  or  glittering,  unsubstantial 
rhetoric,  or  narrow  minded  statesmanship,  shall  mar  the 
after  life  of  any  of  your  class;  see  that  it  be  done  in  most  de¬ 
termined  opposition  to  your  teachings. 

From  the  rich  fields  of  English  literature,  from  the  works 
of  those  early  masters  of  the  art  of  speech,  whose  mighty 
thoughts  come  down  to  us  to-day,  ringing  with  the  deep 
toned  music  an  of  age  whose  impress  On  the  literature  of  the 
world,  will  never  be  erased;  you,  sir,  will  not  fail  to  draw 
that  inspiration,  which  will  enlarge  the  minds  and  purify  the 
hearts  of  those  entrusted  to  your  care;  so  that  from  these 
stores  of  wisdom,  and  even  from  the  follies  of  the  past,  may 
come  to  them  the  knowledge  which  will  make  them  bril¬ 
liant  in  thought,  strong  in  logic  and  clear  in  speech,  wise  in 
the  knowledge  of  the  social,  literary  and  political  world  and 
wise  also  unto  salvation. 

Prof.  Hofford  :  The  voice  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  has 
called  you  to  that  chair  in  this  Institution,  devoted  to  the 
critical  study  of  a  language,  which  is  the  basis  of  so  many 
modern  tongues,  and  by  which  so  much  of  the  wisdom  of 
the  brightest  era  of  the  ancient  world  has  been  preserved 
for  us  and  for  future  ages.  I  need  hardly  say  how  much  the 
best  friends  of  this  institution  are  rejoiced,  in  your  ready 
response  to  this  call.  Once  the  chief  preceptor  of  the  insti¬ 
tution,  out  of  which  this  has  grown,  connected  as  you  were 
with  its  early  struggles,  much  of  its  present  condition  is  due 
to  you,  and  on  you  much  of  its  future  prosperity  will  depend. 

No  one,  who  knew  this  institution  in  its  earlier  days,  will 
ever  forget  the  good  which  came  from  your  connection  with 


ADDRESS  OF  R.  E.  WRIGIIT,  ESQ. 


17 


it,  nor  will  any,  who  tasted  the  fruit  of  knowledge  under 
you,  hesitate  to  return  to  the  bounteous  feast  that  is  now 
prepared  for  them. 

Your  teaching  will  lead  your  students  back  to  the  golden 
age,  when  Virgil’s  martial  or  bucolic  strains,  and  Cicero’s 
thunders  in  the  Senate,  gave  force  and  beauty  to  a  language, 
without  a  critical  knowledge  of  which,  men  of  modern  days 
must  grope  their  dim  and  misty  way  to  a  knowledge  of  their 
mother  tongues. 

And  if  the  poetry  and  eloquence  which  then  entranced 
the  world,  shall  he  found  deficient  in  the  higher  elements, 
which  dignify  and  adorn  that  of  the  present  day,  let  your 
disciples  learn  from  this,  the  true  glory  of  the  age  in  which 
it  is  their  privilege  to  live,  an  age,  the  literature  of  which, 
draws  its  highest  inspiration  from  a  source,  purer  than  that 
which  swayed  the  Latin  world,  and  which  leans  with  clear, 
unclouded  faith,  upon  the  bosom  of  a  Father  who  was  then 
to  all  the  world  an  “  unknown  God.” 

Prof.  Koons  :  A  wider,  grander  field  is  yours.  Far,  far 
above  the  puny  works  of  man  will  be  the  scene  of  your 
labors  in  this  institution.  Away  in  the  boundless  universe 
of  God — “high  amid  stellar  worlds — aloft  on  lunar  moun¬ 
tains,”  it  will  be  your  delightful  task  to  lead  your  students: 
guiding  them  through  pathless  labyrinths  on  high — explor¬ 
ing  vast  “mammoth  caves  of  beauty,”  brighter  than  those 
of  earth,  hung  round  with  starry  stalactites — gathering  and 
bouqueting  for  them  the  golden  flowers  that  cluster  in  un¬ 
dying  beauty  along  the  galaxies  of  heaven — spelling  out  for 
them  the  mystic  characters  which  are  cut  in  glittering  lines 
upon  “  the  sapphire  bible  of  the  skies”  ;  and  listening  with 
them  for  the  sweet,  unwritten,  silent  music,  of  the  spheres 
that  has  been  toning  on,  inaudible  to  our  gross  sense,  ever 
since  the  morning  stars  first  sang  together  to  greet  the  ad¬ 
vent  of  our  little  planet  among  the  older,  brighter  host  of 
heaven  around  it. 

Or  else,  with  humbler  flight,  down  on  the  earth  we  live  on, 


18 


ADDRESS  OF  K.  E.  WRIGHT,  ESQ. 


prying  into  its  hidden  secrets, — ascertaining  the  laws  im¬ 
pressed  on  matter  at  creation,  and  which  govern  and  con¬ 
trol  its  forces,  so  that  knowing  them,  your  students  may  be 
wise,  and  using  them,  he  useful  in  their  day  and  generation. 

Thus  led  on  in  wisdom’s  path,  guided  by  the  unerring  rules 
of  that  exacter  science,  committed  to  your  care,  will  they 
he  prepared  for  every  state  of  life  on  earth,  and  acquire  a 
taste  that  may  follow  them  to  a  higher  sphere,  where  with 
Copernicus  and  Newton  and  Keppler  they  may  discuss  and 
comprehend,  the  now  unfinished  problems  of  the  universe, 
or  learn  from  the  lips  of  Archimedes  and  Euclid,  the  una¬ 
dulterated  calculations  of  truth. 

Prof.  Riis  :  To  you  the  chair  of  the  German  language 
and  literature  has  been  assigned,  and  here,  where  that  lan¬ 
guage  is  known  and  loved  as  our  mother  tongue,  it  will  be 
your  pleasing  duty  to  explore  its  depths  and  impress  its 
beauties  on  your  class.  Of  the  value  of  their  study  we 
need  not  speak,  for  in  the  catalougue  of  known  tongues 
there  are  none  above  it. 

Springing  from  the  ancient  Indo-European  dialects,  the 
product  of  a  gifted  race,  who  lived  in  an  area  most  favora¬ 
ble  for  human  life  and  action,  remarkable  even  in  its  ruder 

state  for  the  ease  with  which  it  forms  its  many  deriva- 

%/ 

fives  from  well  known  simple  roots — for  its  adaptability  to 
logical  and  grammatical  construction,  and  its  power  of 
accommodating  itself  to  the  nicest  shades  of  meaning,  it 
has  grown  with  the  growth  of  civilization,  ever  by  its  side, 
the  first  to  appear  in  that  wonderful  art  of  printing  by  which 
all  the  arts  and  learning  of  the  world  were  promulgated  and 
preserved. 

Under  your  care,  sir,  they  will  learn  to  love  the  language 
in  which  the  Word  of  God  first  reached  the  common  mind 
in  Europe  and  in  which  so  much  of  the  wisdom  of  the  world 
is  contained  to-day — the  language  in  which  Luther  shook 
the  Vatican  from  turret  to  foundation  stone,  and  hurled 
from  its  lofty  seat  the  bigotry  and  sin  which  for  centuries 


ADDRESS  OF  R.  E.  WRIGHT,  ESQ. 


19 

had  made  the  Christian  faith  a  withering  poisonous  Upas, 
rather  a  tree  of  life,  and  in  which  was  penned  the  ‘  form  of 
concord  ’  then  and  ever  since  the  far  famed,  much  loved 
charter  of  the  Church. 

For  you,  learned,  reverend  and  honored  Sir,  who  by  the 
unanimous  voice  of  all  connected  with  this  Institution,  have 
been  called  to  preside  over  it — worthy  inheritor  of  a  name, 
which  is  connected  with  the  brightest  history  of  the  Am  er  i- 
can  Church,  and  the  purest  era  of  the  American  republic, 
and  with  which  we  have  dignified  our  enterprise;  for  you, 
sir,  we  have  no  word  of  caution,  counsel  or  advice. 

We  do  not  counsel  the  sun  to  shine  upon  the  earth,  that 
it  may  warm  it  into  life  or  brighten  it  into  beauty,  nor  do 
we  ask  the  clouds  to  water  it  with  their  cool  refreshing 
showers. 

For  this  they  were  created,  and  when  they  cease  from 
this,  they  will  cease  to  exist. 

Without  caution,  counsel  or  advice  from  any  one,  but 
from  an  innate  sense  of  right,  you  sir,  will  shine  and 
shower  your  best  and  brightest  gifts  upon  this  institution. 
From  the  vast  store-house  of  your  past  experience,  your 
mental  powers  brightened  by  use,  and  guided  by  a  heart  that 
has  beat  so  long  for  others’  good,  will  furnish  that  on  which 
the  growing  minds  and  souls  committed  to  your  care  should 
feed. 

We  know  there  are  thorns  in  your  way,  we  know  there 
are  lions  in  your  path,  but  the  power  that  has  hitherto  swept 
them  aside,  will  stand  by  you  now  in  this  the  crowning 
effort  of  your  useful  life. 

And  now  by  virtue  of  the  authority  vested  in  me,  I  hereby 
declare  Muhlenberg  College  formally  inaugurated,  and 
opened  for  the  reception  of  students,  and  its  faculty  duly 
inducted  into  office  to  be  regarded  and  respected  accord- 
ingly. 

And  may  He  whose  Almighty  power  controls  and  pre¬ 
serves  the  countless  systems  of  suns  and  worlds  which  burn 


20 


ADDRESS  OF  R.  E.  WRIGHT,  ESQ. 


and  flash  with  inextinguishable  tire  as  they  sweep  along  in 
their  endless  orbits,  and  whose  protecting  love  covers  the 
feeblest  insect  that  sings  away  its  lone  ephemeral  life  on  the 
smallest  leaflet  of  the  tiniest  plant  that  grows  upon  the  hum¬ 
blest  Planet  in  the  Universe,  look  down  with  favor  on  this 
work  of  ours  and  take  it  into  His  Holy  keeping. 


Inaugural  Address 

BY 

REV.  F.  A.  MUHLENBERG,  D.D. 


DELIVERED  AT  ALLENTOWN,  PA.,  SEPTEMBER  3,  1807. 


Mr.  President ,  Respected,  Auditory ,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen : 

We  thank  you  for  your  presence  on  this  interesting* 
occasion,  and  the  confidence  reposed  in  us  in  elevating  us 
to  the  positions  we  are  to  occupy,  respectively,  in  this  new 
College  in  Allentown.  We  thank  you  for  the  words  of 
counsel  addressed  to  us,  so  appropriate  and  well  chosen. 
We  accept  with  a  sense  of  our  weakness,  in  humble 
reliance  on  God,  the  positions  the  Board  of  Trustees  has 
assigned  us,  and  present,  in  reply  to  you,  the  following 
remarks,  expressive  of  the  principles  and  feelings  by  which 
we  intend  to  be  governed  in  the  discharge  of  our  duties. 

What!  Another  College!  Another  College  in  a  neigh¬ 
borhood  where  there  are  two  already,  scarcely  a  stone’s 
throw  removed  from  each  other  ?  Are  not  many  of  these 
languishing  for  want  of  adequate  patronage  and  endow¬ 
ment?  These  and  similar  questions,  my  Christian  friends, 
are  addressed  to  us,  upon  the  eve  of  our  new  enterprise  ; 
and  a  prudent  regard  for  the  opinion  of  our  fellow  men  calls 
upon  us  to  give  a  reply  to  them. 

We  may  reply  to  these  and  similar  questions,  that  none 
of  those  already  in  existence,  either  in  our  neighborhood, 
or  in  our  State,  are  adapted  to  meet  the  peculiar  wants  of 
the  population  and  church  to  which  we  belong.  Some  of 
them  are  designed  for  other  communions,  and  their  theo¬ 
logical  and  literary  stand-point  is  not  such  as  to  commend 
them  to  the  patronage  of  our  church.  We  are  of  German 
ancestry,  and  Lutherans  in  our  belief  and  practice,  and 
neither  of  those  in  our  neighborhood  is  calculated  to  train 


22 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS 


our  children  in  the  faith  of  our  fore-fathers.  And  with 
respect  to  Pennsylvania  College,  we  have,  for  the  space  of 
seventeen  }'ears,  been  endeavoring  to  cultivate  the  most, 
friendly  feeling  for  the  brethren  by  whom  it  has  been 
managed  ;  we  have  either,  directly  or  indirectly,  contributed 
upwards  of  forty  thousand  dollars  to  its  support ;  have  been 
sending  our  representatives  and  students  there,  and  have 
made  use  ot  ever v  effort  to  unite  our  entire  church  in  Penn- 
sylvania  in  its  support;  but  we  are  compelled,  more  in  sor¬ 
row  than  in  aimer,  to  lament  that  all  our  efforts  to  concili¬ 


ate,  consolidate,  and  assimilate,  have  most  signally  failed, 
and  that  we  have  met  with  bitter  disappointment.  The 
very  means  made  use  of  by  us  to  bring  brethren  of  the  same 
faith  together,  have  been  productive  of  greater  alienation 
of  feeling,  and  conflict  in  practice,  and  after  a  series  of  un¬ 
friendly  acts  on  their  part,  which  it  is  needless  here  to 
detail,  for  the  church  is  acquainted  with  them,  we  have  been 
brought  to  entertain  the  conviction  that  they  do  not  desire 
to  co-operate  with  us  in  the  cause  of  education,  but  prefer 
to  labor  alone.  Under  such  circumstances,  following  the 
guidance  of  Providence,  we  cannot  but  feel  that  the  time 
has  come  when  the  peace  of  the  church,  and  the  interests  of 
both  parties,  will  be  best  promoted  by  laboring  alone;  a 
course,  indeed,  which  our  own  self-respect,  without  other 
considerations,  would  prompt  us  to  pursue.  We  are  there¬ 
fore  compelled  to  organize  a  College  for  ourselves,  to  make 
proper  provision  for  the  education  of  our  children,  and  to 
furnish  a  sufficient  number  of  students  for  our  Theological 
Seminary  in  Philadelphia,  and  adequate  to  the  growing 

demands  of  our  church  in  Pennsvlvania  and  elsewhere. 

•/ 

Whilst  we  thus  feel  that  we  are  driven  to  this  course  by  our 
church  difficulties,  we  are  also  disposed  to  think  that,  apart 
from  these  considerations,  there  is  a  loud  call  for  action 
in  this  direction  by  the  very  circumstances  of  our  position. 
Our  population  is  large,  and  rapidly  becoming  Anglicized, 
and  the  distance  of  Gettysburg,  the  seat  of  Pennsylvania 
College,  from  the  centre  of  our  population,  as  well  as  its 


BY  REV.  F.  A.  MUHLENBERG,  D.  1>. 


28 


difficulty  of  access,  have  been  felt  by  many  of  us  to  be  serious 
objections  to  it  as  a  place  of  education  for  our  students.  We 
had  doubts  of  its  appropriateness  from  the  very  beginning-, 
but  our  very  necessities  urged  us  to  assent  to  the  arrange¬ 
ment,  with  the  hope  of  its  ultimate  removal.  That  these 
considerations  had  much  to  sustain  them,  we  can  readily 
believe,  from  the  present  condition  of  things  in  Pennsylva¬ 
nia  College.  Though  the  Institution  had  a  larger  number 

o  o  o 

on  its  catalogue  this  rear  then  it  ever  had,  there  are  but 
twenty-five  students  receiving  instruction  there  from  our 
territory;  and  during  the  previous  stages  of  its  history  the 
number  has  been  still  less.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  for  me 
to  remind  you  how  inadequate  a  representation  this  is  for 
our  great  Synod  of  fifty  thousand  communicants.  It  allows 
us  but  one  college  student  for  every  two  thousand  com¬ 
municants.  Such  a  small  attendance  of  our  young  men 
will  never  develop  our  church  in  Eastern  Pennsylvania,  as 
the  necessities  of  the  case  require.  This  state  of  things,  as 
well  as  the  ecclesiastical  relations  of  our  Synod,  imperatively 
calls  upon  us,  therefore,  to  go  forward  with  our  enterprise 
with  the  greatest  energy  and  zeal,  for  a  reunion  with  the 
other  division  of  our  church  is  simply  an  impossibility,  as 
the  Synod  of  Pennsylvania,  in  conjunction  with  other 
Synods,  has  already  laid  the  foundation  for  the  formation 
of  a  General  Council ,  which  will  necessarily  make,  for  an 
indefinite  period  of  time,  the  interests  and  sphere  of  labor 
of  the  two  parties  in  our  church,  entirely  distinct  and 
separate. 

But  other  objections  must  be  met.  Pennsylvania  has 
already  too  many  colleges.  The  effect  of  increasing  their 
number  will  be  to  diminish  their  quality.  This  objection 
loses  its  force  if,  as  has  already  been  suggested,  those  in 
existence  fail  to  develop  the  resources  of  the  part  of  the 
State,  and  the  church  to  which  we  belong.  The  circum- 
stances  of  our  people  are  also  entirely  different  now  from 
what  they  were  even  a  few  years  ago.  Institutions  of  a 
lower  grade  have  been  greatly  multiplied,  the  public  schools 


24 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS 


are  increasing  in  efficiency,  and  the  desire  for  education  has 
been  awakened  to  a  much  larger  extent  than  was  formerly 
the  case;  so  that  it  is  not  just  to  base  an  argument  for  the 
present  or  the  future  upon  the  state  of  things  in  the  past. 
Besides,  it  is  not  always  the  so-called  great  colleges,  and 
great  universities  which  bring  out  the  talent  and  resources 
of  the  people.  Whilst  we  too  are,  in  general,  no  advocates, 
for  the  undue  increase  of  colleges  and  higher  seminaries  of 
learning,  we  feel  satisfied  that  the  location  of  good,  though 
less  imposing  colleges,  in  populous  neighborhoods,  will 
have  a  very  favorable  influence  in  securing,  both  for  the 
Church  and  the  State,  talents  which  otherwise  would  be 
lost.  The  majority  of  parents  are  not  in  a  condition  to  send 
their  children  abroad  to  secure  an  education,  and  hence,  if 
facilities  for  this  purpose  are  afforded  them  in  their  own 
immediate  neighborhood,  many  a  young  man  of  the  most 
brilliant  talents  is  thus  induced  to  avail  himself  of  the  op¬ 
portunities  afforded,  and  many  a  parent  in  the  humbler 
walks  of  life  enabled  to  give  his  children  an  education, 
which  will  be  more  valuable  to  them  than  gold,  and  fit  them 
to  stand  unabashed  in  the  presence  of  kings.  We  now  have 
in  our  mind,  out  of  the  list  of  useful  men  whom  Pennsylvania 
College  has  given  to  the  nation  and  the  church,  (and  she 
has  not  given  a  few,)  the  cases  of  three  young  men  who  were 
graduated  there  in  the  infancy  of  her  existence,  who  prob¬ 
ably  would  never  have  received  a  collegiate  education  had 
not  the  Institution  been  planted  in  their  native  place.  One 
of  these  is  now  occupying,  with  distinguished  success,  one 
of  the  most  prominent  positions  in  the  Halls  of  Congress; 
a  second  has  already  been  promoted  to  a  bishopric  in  the 
Episcopal  Church,  and  a  third  is  preaching  the  gospel,  with 
great  acceptance,  in  one  of  the  most  influential  and  venera¬ 
ble  Presbyterian  congregations  in  the  city  of  Yew-York. 
Xor  are  these  the  only  cases  of  the  kind,  nor  are  they  limited 
to  this  one  collegiate  institution.  An  examination  of  the 
catalogues  of  other  colleges  would  disclose  this  truth  with 
still  greater  force.  We  doubt  not  that  thus  hundreds  and 


BY  REV.  F.  A.  MUHLENBERG,  D.  D. 


25 


thousands  are  aiding  in  the  improvements  of  Society  as 
clergymen,  teachers,  lawyers,  and  physicians,  who  other¬ 
wise  would  have  passed  their  lives  in  the  most  profound 
obscurity. 

But  our  friends  and  our  enemies  ring  in  our  ears  the 
remark, — large  towns  and  cities  are  not  appropriate 
places  for  the  education  of  the  young.  This  objection  is 
more  plausible  than  true.  We  cheerfully  admit  that  the 
temptations  to  indolence  and  dissipation  of  mind  are  not  so 
many,  nor  so  strong,  in  a  small  place  as  in  a  large  one;  yet 
too  much  weight  is  attached  to  this  fact;  for  if  the  tempta¬ 
tions  are  greater,  the  incentives  and  motives  to  exertion  are 
also  greater.  The  power  of  good,  as  well  as  of  evil  examples, 
is  very  great  in  our  larger  towns  ;  and  we  have  yet  to  learn 
that  smaller  places,  or  even  the  country,  is  exempt  from 
them.  Satan  is  present  in  the  country,  as  well  as  the  city, 
and  it  is  surely  no  heresy  that  Christ  is  also  there  with  his 
power,  his  word,  and  his  Spirit,  to  overcome  him.  His 
grace  will  be  sufficient  for  any  one,  young  or  old,  in  any 
lawful  situation,  and,  though  we  are  of  German  descent,  we 
do  not,  with  our  fore-fathers,  believe  it  to  be  either  impolitic 
or  criminal  to  dwell  in  towns  and  cities,  but  eminently  useful 
and  wise  to  place  there  all  such  institutions  as  will  tend  to 
correct  what  is  bad,  and  aid  in  fostering  evervthiim  that  is 
good.  Experience  teaches  us  that  we  find  in  our  cities  and 
our  larger  towns  the  highest  culture,  polish  and  intelligence; 
and  alas !  how  often  does  she  point  to  the  country  and  the 
village  as  the  abodes  of  misery,  ignorance,  and  degradation. 
The  very  presence  of  a  number  of  persons,  in  a  civilized  and 
organized  society,  is  conducive  to  the  highest  culture. 
And  it  is  for  this  very  reason  that  the  preference  is  given  to 
a  public,  over  a  private  education,  that  the  individual  may  be 
more  highly  improved  by  coming  into  contact  and  friendly 
collision  with  others.  The  very  words  civility,  polish, 
urbane,  polite,  as  well  as  their  opposites — rustic,  boor, 
pagan,  incivility,  suggest  to  us  a  world  of  thought  upon  this 
question. 


26 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS 


Indeed,  the  great  prominence  given  to  students  in  a  small 
place,  very  frequently  exposes  them  to  peculiar  temptations, 
from  which  they  would  wholly  escape  when  lost  sight  of  in 
the  great  throng  of  larger  towns  and  cities.  Even  supposing 
the  temptations  to  be  as  great  as  the  imagination,  excited 
by  morbid  fears,  may  make  them,  is  it  not  wise  in  the  edu¬ 
cator  to  prepare  the  young,  by  suitable  training,  to  meet 
and  overcome,  rather  than  to  strive  to  avoid  them,  when  he 
is  aware  that  he  must  expect  to  encounter  them  at  some 
period  of  his  career?  Too  much  restraint,  and  too  much 
seclusion  often  defeats  its  own  aim,  and  is  in  conflict  with 
the  precepts  of  the  Savior,  as  well  as  his  example.  The 
gospel  was  preached  in  all  the  principal  cities  of  the  world, 
beginning  at  Jerusalem;  and  the  uniform  practice  of  the 
apostles,  in  their  missionary  labors,  was  to  assail  the  enemy 
in  the  very  heart  of  his  dominions  ;  and  in  their  very  first 
attempts  to  introduce  the  gospel,  they  began  with  the  capi¬ 
tal  of  the  land.  We  surely  cannot  err,  therefore,  if,  in 
accordance  with  their  example,  we  introduce  everywhere, 
with  the  bane,  also  the  antidote.  The  experience  of  all  ages 
tells  us  of  the  safety  and  propriety  of  having  educational 
institutions  in  cities,  as  well  as  in  the  country.  The  best 
seminaries  of  learning  were  found,  in  ancient  times,  at 
Athens,  Tarsus,  Alexandria  and  Antioch ;  and  the  colleges 
and  universities  of  Leipsic,  Vienna,  Goettingen,  Edinburg, 
Dublin,  Boston,  Yew  York,  arid  in  multitudes  of  other  cities 
and  large  towns,  furnish  us  with  a  sufficiency  of  examples  to 
defend  ourselves  in  the  course  of  conduct  we  are  pursuing; 
and  we  feel  confident  that  the  young  man  who  has  been 
trained  in  such  a  place,  and  has  successfully  resisted  all  the 
evil  influences  to  which  he  has  been  subjected,  will  be  the 
best  man  for  the  times  in  which  he  lives. 

Whilst  the  questions  already  answered  are  of  grave  im¬ 
portance,  and  could  not  be  overlooked  on  an  occasion  like 
the  present,  the  principles,  educational  and  religious,  upon 
which  the  institution  is  to  be  conducted,  are  of  still  greater 
magnitude.  The  course  of  studies  is  the  first  in  order.  A 


BY  REV.  F.  A.  MUHLENBERG,  I).  D. 


27 


general  reply  can  be  given,  in  a  few  words.  It  is  our  inten¬ 
tion  to  follow  in  the  beaten  track,  which  the  wisdom  of  ages 
and  the  experience  of  the  most  accomplished  educators  in 
every  stage  of  human  society  and  progress,  and  under  every 
form  of  religious  organization,  has  found  the  best  to  bring 
out  the  powers  of  the  human  mind.  An  inspired  writer 
has  declared  that  “  in  a  multitude  of  counsellors  is  wisdom,” 
and  on  this  question  there  is  a  unanimity  of  all  the  wisest 
and  the  best.  It  is  an  easy  matter  to  set  up  our  individual 
judgment  against  the  settled  and  sober  conclusion  of  ages, 
but  all  the  probabilities  will  be  in  favor  of  its  being  an  airy 
phantasm,  some  ‘‘baseless  fabric  of  a  vision,”  which  a 
breath  could  make  and  a  breath  destrov.  A  self-confident 
and  daring  adventurer  mav  like  Phaethon  of  old,  snatch  the 
reins  out  of  the  hands  of  the  aged  and  experienced  guide  of 
the  chariot  of  the  sun,  but  desolation  would  soon  mark  his 
pathway.  We  hold,  with  the  eminent  men  who  have  pre¬ 
ceded  us,  and  in  harmony  with  the  views  and  practices  of 
the  foremost  educators  of  our  davs,  that  there  are  no  studies 
so  well  fitted  to  be  the  basis  of  a  proper  culture  as  the 
ancient  languagesand  mathematics,  not  in  equal  proportion 
but  with  a  large  preponderance  of  attention  to  the  former ; 
and  to  these  there  may,  and  ought  to  be  superadded,  to  give 
a  proper  finish  to  the  whole,  modern  languages,  natural 
and  physical  science,  history,  and  polite  literature.  The 
ancient  classics  and  mathematics  constitute  the  grand  staple 
in  all  the  curricula  of  studies  in  the  Institutions  of  the  Old 
and  new  World — in  Oxford  and  Cambridge,  in  Berlin  and 
Goettingen,  in  Athens  and  Edinburg,  in  Harvard  and  Yale. 
There  is  nothing  calculated  to  supply  their  place.  One  of 
the  most  conclusive  series  of  facts  bearing  upon  this  subject 
is  found  in  Hr.  Bache’s  Report  on  Education  in  Europe. 
This  distinguished  individual,  who  recently  died,  whilst 
discharging  the  duties  of  Superintendent  of  the  Coast  Sur¬ 
vey,  after  his  election  to  the  Presidency  of  Girard  College, 
spent  several  years  in  Europe,  for  the  purpose  of  making 
himself  acquainted  with  the  best  schools,  and  the  best  sys- 


28 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS 


terns  of  education;  and  he  made  an  extensive  tour,  under 
circumstances  most  favorable  for  obtaining  accurate  infor- 
mation ;  and  he  has  embodied  the  result  of  his  researches 
in  the  valuable  volume  which  we  have  just  now  mentioned. 
The  best  schools  and  higher  seminaries  of  learning,  general 
and  special,  were  everywhere  visited  by  him,  and  he  was 
most  pleased  with  those  of  Prussia,  Holland,  Scotland,  and 
France.  In  all  the  higher  seminaries  of  learning  of  any 
pretension,  intended  for  general  culture,  he  found  that,  in¬ 
variably,  from  one-half  to  one-third  of  the  time  was  devoted 
to  the  study  of  the  ancient  classics,  from  one-sixth  to  one- 
fourth  to  mathematics,  whilst  the  rest  of  the  time  was 
divided  between  modern  languages,  history,  geography, 
physics,  and  polite  literature.  In  the  famous  Rugby  school ; 
u  the  studies  are  divided  into  the  departments  of  classical 
literature,  arithmetic,  and  French,  the  classical  department 
being  the  one  upon  which  the  strength  of  the  school  is 
exerted.”  In  the  Edinburg  Academy  or  High  School,  one- 
half  of  the  time  is  given  to  the  classics,  one-sixth  to  mathe¬ 
matics,  one-tenth  to  English  studies ;  other  studies  fill  up 
the  time. 

A  very  useful  summary  or  schedule  of  studies  in  three  of 
the  Prussian  Gymnasia  is  given  in  this  volume  ;  and  what 
makes  the  comparison  still  more  valuable  is  the  fact,  that 
one  of  them  was  organized,  to  some  extent,  on  an  eclectic 
basis ;  yet  in  each  of  these  the  classical  languages  of  antiquity 
receive  about  one-half  or  one-third  of  the  time,  mathematics 
about  one-fourth  or  one-sixth,  and  the  remaining  hours  are 
devoted  to  modern  languages,  physics,  geography,  history 
(general  and  natural,)  ornamental  branches,  etc.  In  two 
rival  institutes,  the  relative  importance  of  these  two  funda¬ 
mental  branches  of  study  is  so  well  settled  as  an  axiom 
that,  whilst  the  one  does  not  exclude  mathematics,  nor  the 
other  classics,  a  comparison  of  the  courses  discloses  no  es¬ 
sential  difference.  Such  arguments  from  experience  we 
regard  as  unanswerable. 

Besides  the  general  argument  upon  this  subject  already 


BY  REV.  F.  A.  MUHLENBERG,  D.  D. 


29 


presented,  it  may  be  safely  asserted  that  the  study  of  the 
classical  languages  of  antiquity  (for  the  modern  languages 
are  regarded  by  the  most  judges  inferior  to  the  ancient,  for 
the  purposes  of  intellectual  culture,)  is  well  adapted  to  the 
capacity  of  the  young,  and  that  ready  memory  for  words 
which  the  Creator,  for  wise-  reasons,  has  given  them.  It 
would  be  idle  to  give  them  such  abstract  studies,  for  which 
they  are  not  fitted ;  the  labor  would  be  lost  and  the  pupil 
disgusted.  The  powers  of  the  mind  must  be  prepared,  by 
the  lighter  and  more  attractive  studies,  for  the  severer,  and 
such  must  be  selected  which  will  awaken  their  interest,  by 
giving  them,  also,  something  to  stimulate  thought.  The 
higher  powers  of  mind  in  the  individual  are  just  as  gradual 
in  their  development  as  in  the  case  of  nations.  The  ages  of 
perception,  memory,  imagination,  therefore  of  poetry  and 
history,  have  always  preceded  those  of  reason,  criticism,  and 
philosophy ;  and  thus  the  particular  and  the  general  features 
of  the  subject  illuminate  and  confirm  each  other.  Homer 
preceded  Plato  in  the  order  of  time,  as  Chaucer  and  Spencer 
did  Newton;  and  so  in  the  individual,  we  ought  to  begin 
with  the  department  of  language,  and  by  its  constant  use 
prepare  the  way  for  those  “  severer  studies”  of  the  mathe¬ 
matical  and  more  abstract  courses,  which  Hr.  Way  land  has 
justly  pronounced  “  better  for  proper  culture  than  general 
reading.” 

If  we  examine  the  human  mind,  we  will  find  that  the 
course  above  commended  to  our  attention  by  experience 
and  the  peculiar  capacity  of  the  young,  will  also  be  the  one 
to  develop,  harmoniously,  all  its  powers.  It  is  exactly  here 
that  the  eclectic  and  utilitarian  schemes  of  education  fail. 
They,  select  one,  or  at  most  two  special  branches  of  a  simi¬ 
lar  kind,  and  thus  cultivate  undulv  one  or  a  few  of  the 
powers  of  the  mind,  arid  necessarily  do  violence  to  the  in¬ 
dividual,  by  allowing  many  of  his  faculties  to  lie  altogether 
neglected.  A  general  culture  must  always  have  the  prece¬ 
dence  over  a  special  one,  for  it  takes  a  comprehensive  view 
of  all  the  faculties  of  the  mind  and  the  powers  of  the  soul, 


30 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS 


and  endeavors  to  bring  them  all  out  by  a  suitable  develop¬ 
ment. 

• 

It  is  quite  beyond  the  reach  of  our  powers  to  know  in  ad¬ 
vance,  what  will  be  the  future  occupation  of  the  individual 
we  are  educating,  and  hence  we  may  do  him  great  in¬ 
justice  by  withholding  from  him  the  very  class  of  studies 
for  which  he  will  have  the  greatest  need.  Even  if  we  had  a 
prophet  to  tell  us  the  future  employment  of  every  individual, 
we  are  disposed  to  assert  that  we  would  be  more  likely  to 
hit  the  mark  by  giving  a  general  culture  to  all,  than  a  special 
education  to  each.  There  are  powers  which  every  man  pos¬ 
sesses,  which  ought  to  be  cultivated,  without  any  special 
regard  to  his  future  avocation  of  life.  Each  man  has  his 
perceptive,  his  reflective,  his  aesthetic  faculties  and  powers  ; 
and  these  should  all  be  educated.  The  studv  ofthe  ancient 

t/ 

languages,  in  conjunction  with  the  modern,  in  a  suitable 
proportion,  is  well  adapted  to  strengthen  the  memory,  to 
cultivate  the  imagination,  to  improve  the  taste;  and  the 
study  of  mathematics  in  connection  with  them  gives  strength 
to  the  reason  and  stability  to  the  intellectual  character. 
These  two  classes  of  studies,  when  properly  attended  to,  in 
conjunction,  are  eminently  adapted  to  cultivate  the  power 
of  acquisition  and  thought,  and  what  is  also  of  equal 
importance,  the  power  of  expression.  Even  for  practical 
purposes,  such  a  general  culture  is  superior  to  a  special  one. 
A  man  is  thus  better  qualified  to  shine,  or  be  useful  in  any 
pursuit.  The  most  eminent  philologists  have  told  us  that 
the  best  method  of  obtaining  an  accurate  and  speedy  know¬ 
ledge  of  the  modern  languages  of  Europe  is  to  lay  a  broad 
and  deep  foundation  in  Greek  and  Latin.  Sir  William 
Hamilton,  one  of  the  most  profound  scholars  of  mental 
science  of  the  age,  was  noted  for  his  extensive  acquirements 
in  the  department  of  Greek  literature;  and  what  a  practical 
man  the  amiable  and  gifted  missionary,  Henry  Martyn  was 
is  patent  before  the  world,  and  he  passed  through  the  Uni¬ 
versity  of  Cambridge  with  the  highest  honors,  almost  equally 
renowned  for  his  mathematical  and  linguistic  acquirements. 


BY  REV.  F.  A.  MUHLENBERG,  D.  I). 


31 


Our  own  Martin  Luther  and  Philip  Melanchthon  were 
eminently  practical  and  useful,  and  they  were  both  passionate 
admirers  and  successful  cultivators  of  the  noble  languages 
of  antiquity.  We  add,  as  a  close  to  this  part  of  our  subject, 
the  following  brief  tribute  from  the  late  Dr.  Felton,  Presi¬ 
dent  of  Plarvard  University,  to  the  value  of  the  study  of 
ancient  Greek ;  and  the  same  may  be  said,  almost  in  an 
equal  degree,  of  the  Latin  :  “  The  orations,  philosophical 
dialogues,  tragedies,  comedies,  lyrics,  and  epics  of  the 
Greeks,  like  their  statues  and  temples,  surpass  as  works  of 
art,  the  best  productions  of  modern  times,  and  must  forever 
serve,  in  any  enlightened  system  of  education,  as  models  of 
taste  and  the  foremost  aids  in  literary  culture.’“ 

Enough  has  been  said  to  justify  the  Trusteesand  Faculty 
of  this  college  in  laying  down  such  a  course  of  studies  as 
has  been  presented  in  their  annual  catalogue,  making  those 
languagesand  authors  the  basis,  which  have  fed  the  streams 
of  the  purest  and  highest  literary  culture,  and  have  been 
the  instructors  of  mankind  for  nearly  three  thousand  years, 
and  could  not  be  banished  from  our  schools  without  lasting 
injury  to  society. 

It  will  be  the  earnest  effort  of  those  engaged  in  giving 
instruction  to  secure  the  soundest  scholarship,  by  devoting 
the  time  of  the  students  in  the  proportion  of  their  relative 
value,  to  those  branches  laid  down  in  our  Register, — aiming, 
also,  to  give  special  and  increasing  attention  to  English 
literature  and  the  German  language,  for  the  acquisition  of 
which,  in  this  place,  with  its  preaching  in  that  language,  and 
its  well  conducted  German  papers,  there  will  be  peculiar 
advantages, — which  form  the  curriculum  of  study  in  the  best 
colleges  of  modern  times;  the  number  of  hours  to  be  de¬ 
voted  to  each  being  left  for  subsequent  determination,  by 
those  to  whom  this  belongs. 

But  we  do  not  regard  this  as  the  highest  object  for  which 
the  college  has  been  organized.  While  the  intellectual 
training  of  an  individual  is  of  great  importance,  it  is  not 
equal  in  magnitude  to  the  religious  education.  We  do  not 


32 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 


regard  an  education  as  complete  that  aims  only  at  improv¬ 
ing  the  intellect.  Our  holy  religion  teaches  us  a  different 
lesson.  It  teaches  us  that  no  education  is  complete  unless 
it  prepares  a  man  to  discharge  all  his  duties  properly  in  this 
world,  and  qualifies  him  for  the  rewards  and  employments 
of  eternity.  This  kind  of  education  contemplates  the  edu¬ 
cation  of  his  conscience  and  the  cultivation  of  his  heart. 
The  only  proper  education,  and  the  one  which  it  will  be  our 
aim  to  secure,  the  only  one  which  we  value,  is  a  Christian 
education.  We  desire  our  students  to  be  as  eminent  for 
Christian  attainments  as  for  their  sound  scholarship.  This 
was  the  design  of  the  Colleges  which  were  planted  on  our 
shores  by  that  noble  band  of  men  who  fled  from  religious 
persecution  in  the  old  world  to  secure  the  freedom  to  wor¬ 
ship  God  in  the  new.  Their  motto  was,  “  Christo  et  ec- 
clesire,” — for  Christ  and  his  church.  At  an  earlier  period 
than  this,  in  our  Fatherland,  the  great  and  good  men  who 
were  raised  up  by  God  to  carry  forward  the  blessed  Reforma¬ 
tion — the  elector  of  Saxony,  Luther,  and  Melanchthon,  es¬ 
tablished  the  University  of  Wittenberg,  and  multitudes  of 
young  men  flocked  to  this  Institution,  from  all  the  countries 
of  Europe,  and,  instructed  in  classical  learning,  and  the  prin¬ 
ciples  of  our  holy  religion,  subsequently  went  forth  and 
spread,  with  amazing  rapidity,  the  truth  through  the  coun¬ 
tries  of  their  birth.  This  same  Institution,  then  very  un¬ 
pretending  in  character  was  more  and  more  frequented, 
improved  continually  in  reputation  and  influence;  and  eter¬ 
nity  alone  will  disclose  the  good  it  has  already  done,  through 
the  three  and  a  half  centuries  of  its  first  existence,  and  what 
it  will  do  in  future  among  the  nations  of  the  earth.  In  the 
same  spirit  do  we  found  our  young  Institution,  that  it  may 
<ro  forward  in  the  same  career  of  usefulness  and  fame.  We 
desire,  most  earnestly,  so  to  instruct  the  students  who  shall 
enter  these  walls,  consecrated  to  the  Muses,  both  by  precept 
and  example,  in  the  principles  of  the  religion  of  Christ,  that 
they  may  adorn  by  their  piety  the  cause  of  their  Lord  and 
Master,  secure  for  themselves  the  blessings  of  multitudes 
vet  unborn,  and  the  eternal  rewards  of  Heaven. 


BY  REV.  F.  A.  MUHLENBERG,  D.  D.  33 

But,  as  the  tendency  of  colleges  is  now  to  be  denomina¬ 
tional  in  their  character,  we  are  also  obliged,  in  self-defence, 
as  well  as  from  a  conviction  of  the  propriety  of  the  course, 
in  the  general,  and  to  foster  a  genuine  and  proper  church 
love,  as  well  as  to  keep  our  youth  within  our  own  pale,  to 
give  prominence  in  our  religious  instruction  to  the  match¬ 
less  Confessions  of  our  Church,  explanatory  of  the  great 
truths  of  Christianity,  prepared  by  the  noble  confessors 
during  that  remarkable  period  which  has  been  appropri¬ 
ately  called  by  eminent  authority — “  The  theological  cen¬ 
turies.”  God  poured  out  upon  his  servants  a  large  share  of 
his  Spirit;  and  the  constant  study  of  the  Scriptures  in  the 
original  languages  in  which  they  were  written,  under  his 
guidance,  gave  birth  to  such  religious  documents,  which 
have  commanded  the  approbation  of  the  best  judges,  for  the 
profound  acquaintance  of  the  authors  of  them  with  the 
Word  of  God,  and  the  clear  elucidation  of  the  cardinal  prin¬ 
ciples  of  our  holy  religion,  especially  the  essential  doctrine 
of  justification  by  faith.  We  do  not  intend  to  place  these 
venerable  writings  above  the  Scriptures,  yet  we  are  not 
ashamed  to  acknowledge  our  attachment  to  them,  and  can¬ 
not  avoid  smiling  at  the  presumption  of  those  who  think 
themselves  competent  to  improve  them.  We  rejoice  that 
in  this  glorious  part  of  our  native  State,  under  the  auspices 
of  our  Synod  and  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  this  College,  we 
will  be  permitted  without  let  or  hinderance,  to  make  our 
students  acquainted  with  the  faith  and  practices  of  our  fore¬ 
fathers,  and  thus  aid  in  the  diffusion  of  that  pure  gospel 
truth  which  the  German  Reformers  exhumed  from  the 
“  rubbish  of  ages.”  The  study  of  these  writings’  in  their 
appropriate  place,  we  are  satisfied,  will  aid  in  the  religious 
and  intellectual  development  of  both  instructor  and  student, 
and  doubtless  both  will  rejoice,  that  they  are  permitted  to 
live  in  a  locality  where  it  is  not  an  odious  thing  to  a  be 

good  and  consistent  Lutheran. 

u  | 

Nor  will  these  remarks  be  mistaken  by  those  who  hear 
me.  We  are  not  afraid  of  losing  the  good  will  or  co-opera-j 


34 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS 


tion  of  our  German  Reformed  and  Presbyterian  brethren, 
for  we  know  they  would  never  prove  recreant  to  the  Hei¬ 
delberg  Catechism  or  the  Confession  of  Faith ;  we  know 
that  the}^  will  honor  us  just  in  proportion  to  the  sincere  at¬ 
tachment  they  bear  to  their  own  Creeds;  and  we  dare  say 
that  they  would  look  with  displeasure  upon  any  individual 
or  body  of  men  who  would  bring  into  disrepute  those  time- 
honored  writings,  endeared  to  them  by  unnumbered 
triumphs  and  the  holiest  associations.  We  do  not  blame 
them  for  the  love  they  have  for  their  church  and  their  con¬ 
fessions,  and  feel  sure  they  will  not  find  fault  with  us. — 
Though  we  differ  in  some  things,  we  will  differ  in  these 
things  in  love,  whilst  we  agree  in  all  the  great  essentials  of 
faith  and  practice.  It  will  ever  be  our  endeavor  to  observe 
the  proper  mean  between  bigoted  attachment  to  party,  and 
sacred  love  for  the  truth.  We  will  be  glad  to  have  their  as¬ 
sistance,  and  hope  to  merit  their  regard.  Our  banners, 
though  presenting  different  colors  to  the  breeze,  are  yet  in¬ 
scribed  with  the  same  significant  emblem,  in  ages  gone  pre¬ 
sented  to  the  glowing  fancy  of  a  Christian  emperor;  and 
we  are  marching  in  the  same  great  army,  under  the  same 
glorious  Leader,  to  the  same  heavenly  home. 

But  shall  we  succeed  ?  It  is  true,  success  in  the  ordinary 
meaning  of  that  term,  is  no  proof  of  the  excellence  of  a 
cause;  yet  the  prospect  of  it  cheers  the  despondent,  and 
animates  all  to  the  patient  endurance  of  the  hardships  of  the 
conflict.  Difficulties  we  will  have,  we  know  it,  for  we  have 
not  rushed  into  the  enterprise,  without  having  counted  the 
cost.  It  is  not  an  ordinary  work  we  have  in  hand,  it  is  one 
which  will  need  continuous  and  united  effort  to  bring  it  to 
a  satisfactory  completion  ;  yet  the  view  of  the  difficulties 
and  labor  does  not  deter  us.  We  have  motives  to  impel, 
arguments  to  strengthen,  and  friends  upon  whom  we  can 
confidently  rely.  We  do  not  begin  in  our  own  name.  We 
begin  now,  as  the  beloved  and  well-disciplined  Christian 
founder  of  this  school  began,  in  the  name  of  Him,  to  whom 
^11  things  are  subject,  and  in  whose  hands  are  the  resources 


BY  REV.  F.  A.  MUHLENBERG,  D.  D. 


35 


of  the  universe.  The  work  has  been  undertaken  on  both 
occasions,  in  faith  and  prayer,  and  many  earnest  supplica¬ 
tions  in  behalf  of  this  Institution  have  been  recorded  in 
heaven,  which  have  already  blessed  it  in  the  past,  and  which 
will  continue  to  bless  it  in  the  future. 

The  Christian  does  not  reason  as  the  man  of  the  world. 
The  latter  begins  with  human  resources,  the  former  begins 
with  God ;  the  one  builds  upon  sight,  the  other  upon  faith. 
Thus  the  good  King  Hezekiah  acted  in  ancient  times.  The 
city  of  Jerusalem  was  encompassed  by  a  countless  and  ar¬ 
rogant  host  of  Assyrian  warriors.  The  heathen  leader  sent  a 
defiant  letter  to  the  trembling  king  of  God’s  chosen  people. 
Hezekiah  laid  the  letter  before  the  Lord.  His  petition 
was  scarcely  ended,  when  a  favorable  response  was  sent  by 
the  prophet  Isaiah,  to  his  confiding  servant,  in  these  words, 
against  the  Assyrian  monarch :  The  virgin  daughter  of  Je¬ 
rusalem  has  despised  thee  !  And  on  the  succeeding  night, 
the  destroying  angel  had  stretched  in  death  upon  the  plain, 

almost  two  hundred  thousand  of  these  exultant  foes.  Thus 

» 

too,  have  we  commenced  this  enterprise,  and  we  expect  to 
succeed  in  our  humble  efforts  by  reposing  on  that  same  Al¬ 
mighty  arm  of  old.  We  cheer  our  desponding  hearts  with 
the  words  of  the  sweet  singer  of  Israel :  44  Some  trust  in 
chariots,  and  some  in  horses,  but  we  will  remember  the 
name  of  the  Lord  our  God.” 

But  besides  this,  we  are  engaged  in  a  noble  cause;  it  is 
not  one  originating  in  any  selfish  or  wordly  interest,  but 
one  most  closely  connected  with  the  temporal,  intellectual, 
moral  and  eternal  interests  of  our  fellow-men.  If  44  he  is 
doubly  armed  who  has  his  quarrel  just,”  why  should  not 
we  triumph  over  all  our  enemies,  and  rejoice  in  victory. — 
Great  ideas  make  great  men.  Thus  the  greatness  and  ex¬ 
cellence  of  our  cause  will  enkindle  all  our  ardor,  cheer  us 
when  despondent,  support  us  under  difficulties,  and  make 
even  the  severest  labor  sweet. 

What  an  area  likewise  for  our  efforts  !  What  a  splendid 
field  for  a  college  to  occupy,  to  improve,  to  elevate !  Here 


36 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS. 


east  of  the  Susquehanna  alone,  is  a  region,  ample  and 
wealthy  enough  to  furnish  all  the  money  to  endow,  and 
populous  enough  to  fill  the  Institution  with  students  to 
overflowing.  We  stand  in  the  very  centre  of  our  power  in 
Pennsylvania,  as  Lutherans.  In  connection  with  the  Synod 
of  Pennsylvania  alone,  are  found  about  fifty  thousand  com¬ 
municants,  as  before  stated,  and  along  with  them,  hundreds 
of  laborious  and  influential  pastors,  and  an  intelligent  Lu¬ 
theran  population.  In  this  immediate  neighborhood,  we 
have  an  active  Board  of  Trustees,  with  energy  acquired  by 
previous  success,  in  other  enterprises  in  which  they  have 
been  engaged,  and  we  may  confidently  reckon  on  a  consider¬ 
able  local  patronage  from  the  German  Reformed  and  others, 
who  are  interested  with  ourselves  in  the  education  of  the 
German  and  other  people,  resident  in  this  part  of  our  highly 
favored  State.  The  Synod  of  Pennsylvania,  as  a  body,  has 
promised  us  its  hearty  co-operation,  and  has  made  arrange¬ 
ments  to  raise  a  fund  of  money,  during  this  Jubilee  year,  to 
place  this  college,  which  is  of  such  vital  importance  to  itself, 
upon  a  permanent  basis.  The  success  attendant  thus  far 
upon  our  united  efforts,  beyond  our  first  expectations,  as 
well  as  the  necessity  for  exertion,  are  all  bright  harbingers  of 
success.  If  Pennsylvania  College,  at  first,  so  far  removed 
from  the  heart  of  the  Lutheran  population,  and  in  the  midst 
of  a  Presbyterian  community,  under  very  unfavorable  cir¬ 
cumstances,  was  able  to  overcome  all  obstacles,  and  to  give 
up  to  this  time  four  hundred  educated  men  to  our  country , 
and  upwards  of  two  hundred  ministers  to  the.  church ,  why 
should  not  we,  when  we  have  so  much  more  to  encourage, 
and  less  to  oppose. 

But  the  glorious  history  of  our  church,  during  the  past 
three  centuries  and  a  half,  both  in  the  Fatherland,  and  our 
own  country,  illumines  our  pathway,  and  spurs  us  onto  the 
necessary  exertion  and  the  consequent  success.  We  are 
heirs  of  the  hallowed  associations  and  memories  of  both 
lands.  Our  forefathers  have  left  a  record  in  each  land,  of 
which  we  need  not  be  ashamed,  and  which  we  should  blush 


BY  REV.  F.  A.  MUHLENBERG,  ]>.  1>. 


87 


to  disgrace.  The  pathway  of  history  has  been  made  bright, 
by  the  glorious  deeds  of  our  ancestors  in  Germany,  and  the 
whole  world  has  been  filled  with  the  fame  of  these  brave 
generals,  wise  and  Christian  statesmen,  able  rulers,  learned 
philosophers  and  theologians,  who  gave  a  pure  Christianity 
and  regenerated  schools  again  to  mankind  ;  and  Germany 
and  America  have  given  to  the  world  Christians,  patriots, 
philanthropists,  who  will  bear  favorable  comparison  with 
any  of  the  distinguished  worthies  of  ancient  and  modern 
times.  Such  a  simple  allusion  is  all  the  present  occasion 
will  allow,  facts  without  number  could  be  added  to  confirm 
the  general  assertion. 

Such  a  work  have  we,  my  Christian  friends  of  all  classes, 
and  such  inducements  to  urge  us  forward,  and  to  insure  suc¬ 
cess.  The  Germans  and  their  descendants  in  this  land  have 
not  received  the  honor  they  deserved,  nor  exerted  the  in¬ 
fluence  due  to  their  character  and  numbers.  They  were 
among  the  earliest  settlers  of  this  great  state,  they  aided  in 
its  legislation,  their  blood  enriched  its  soil,  and  their  pub¬ 
lic  and  private  virtues  have  been  frequently  recognized  by 
our  Governors  and  Legislatures ;  yet  their  power  for 
good  has  not  been  felt,  as  it  should  have  been,  mainly,  we 
think,  because  they  did  not  educate  their  children  here,  as 
their  fore-fathers  did,  in  the  land  of  their  birth.  This  part 
of  Pennsylvania,  in  its  splendid  agricultural  cultivation, 
speaks  loudly  in  behalf  of  German  industry  and  German 
thrift ;  but  to  secure  the  influence  and  respect  we  deserve 
from  others,  this  material  culture  and  wealth  is  not  enough. 
We  must  cultivate  the  minds  and  hearts  of  our  children  with 
the  same  zeal  and  perseverance  with  which  we  have  im¬ 
proved  our  farms,  and  then  we  will  secure  for  them,  and 
ourselves,  higher  fame,  larger  influence,  and  greater  happi¬ 
ness.  We  have  this  day  made  a  renewed  beginning  in  this 
great  work;  let  not  the  sneers  of  those  opposed  to  us,  chill 
the  warmth  of  our  feeling ;  let  us  under  the  influence  of  the 
truths  we  have  been  considering,  with  united  hearts  and 
hands,  give  ourselves,  our  money  as  it  may  be  necessary, 


88 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS 


our  children,  our  labors,  our  prayers,  to  the  noble  cause  of 
religion  and  education,  until  this  part  of  our  state,  in  this 
higher  culture ,  shall  be  as  attractive  to  the  eye  of  the  beholder, 
as  its  rich  and  fertile  valleys,  and  as  enduring  as  the  ever¬ 
lasting  hills,  by  which  we  are  now  surrounded. 


A  College  Corner-Stone. 


We  are  here  at  the  laying  of  a  College  Corner  Stone. 
The  idea  is  sufficiently  specific  to  prevent  any  wandering 
tendency  which  might  arise  in  our  minds.  Nevertheless 
we  must  be  allowed  to  say,  in  these  opening  words,  that  we 
bear  with  us  two  warm  congratulations. 

First,  we  congratulate  the  city  and  community  in  the 
bosom  of  which  this  new  College  has  now  fairly  taken  its 
position.  You  have  sought  and  won — and  we  doubt  not 
by  fair  and  honorable  means — a  great  blessing.  Beyond  the 
value  of  your  imbedded  ore,  is  a  vigorous,  first-class,  high- 
toned  literary  institution.  More  fertilizing  than  the  abun¬ 
dant  streams  of  the  celebrated  Lehigh,  are  the  quickening 
currents  of  thought  which  go  forth  from  such  a  fountain. 
In  the  intellectual,  moral  and  spiritual  benefits,  which  you 
have  a  right  to  anticipate,  and  which  in  due  time  you  cer¬ 
tainly  will  realize  from  this  institution,  you  stand  before  us 
to-day  as  fully  deserving  of  the  warmest  congratulation. 
Your  literary  appreciation  is  not  a  fact  which  has  been  but 
recently  discovered.  The  ground  on  which  we  stand  has 
for  many  years  been  vigilantly  guarded  by  you,  and  held 
sacred  to  the  cause  of  learning.  The  High  School,  which 
now  merges  into  a  full-grown  College,  leaves  behind  a  long 
history,  full  of  honor.  It  has  wrought  well  in  its  day,  and 
has  accomplished,  for  both  sexes,  a  good  work.  The  images 
of  two  highly  gifted  men,  father  and  son,  now  sainted,  still 
linger  with  it;  nor  will  these  images,  connected  with  all  their 
sacred  memories,  still  fresh  in  warm  living  hearts,  fail  to 
incorporate  themselves  with  the  power  of  a  perpetual  bene¬ 
diction  with  the  higher  organization  in  which  the  lower 
now  becomes  glorified.  We  heartily  congratulate  the 


40 


A  COLLEGE  CORNER-STONE 


citizens  of  this  entire  community  in  view  of  the  successful 
establishment  in  their  midst  of  a  College  of  high  order, 
which  will  stand  not  only  as  a  distinguished  honor,  but  as  a 
source  of  rich  blessing  also  through  many  generations  to 

O  O  «/  o 


come. 

But  no  less  deserving  of  a  similar  congratulation  is  the 
new  College  itself.  To  the  Board  of  Trustees,  aud  the 
friends  of  the  College  generally,  we  may  truly  say,  you  have 
come  into  a  good  heritage.  You  are  central  in  a  central 
region  of  physical  wealth  and  beauty.  Nowhere  has  Nature 
been  more  lavish  with  her  blessings.  Mind,  too,  the  best 
and  highest  natural  gift  of  God  to  man,  is  here  compara¬ 
tively  in  its  virgin  and  most  vigorous  condition.  Besides, 
as  already  intimated,  you  are  in  the  living  bosom  of  a  health¬ 
ful  educational  tradition,  whose  every  impulse  is  towards 
high  mental  and  moral  culture.  With  a  beginning  such  as 
this  we  may  not  at  this  point  attempt  to  anticipate  your 
history.  Muhlenberg  College,  headed  by  a  Muhlenberg, 
who  in  his  literary  attainments,  no  less  honors  his  paternity 
than  his  paternity  honors  him,  with  a  Faculty  youthful  in 
vigor,  ripe  in  scholarship  and  already  rich  in  experience, 
opens  amid  prospects  the  most  cheering  for  the  future. 

Congratulations,  however,  deserved  and  pleasant  as  these 
may  be,  form  not  the  proper  work  of  the  present  occasion. 
We  are  here  to  actually  lav  the  Corner-Stone  ot  a  new  Col- 

4. 

lege,  and  in  this  act  announce  in  suitable  terms  a  new  centre 
of  liberal  education. 

Among  the  most  ancient  and  at  the  same  time  significant 
forms  of  symbolism  stands  the  Corner-Stone.  Firmly  fixed 
upon  the  solid  earth,  it  becomes  the  basis  of  two  converging 
walls,  and  thus  the  foundation  of  the  entire  building.  As 
related  to  the  Christian  Church,  no  symbol  is  more  pro¬ 
found — none  richer  as  to  contents,  nor  more  impressive  as 
to  form.  “Behold,“  says  the  prince  of  prophets,  “I  lay, 
in  Zion,  for  a  foundation,  a  stone — a  precious  Corner- 
Stone.”  Giving  a  true  application  to  this  grand  prophetic 
annunciation,  we  hear  the  gifted  Paul  exclaiming:  “  Other 


BY  REV.  D.  GANS,  D.  I). 


41 


foundation  can  no  man  lav  than  that  which  is  laid,  which  is 
Jesus  Christ.”  Strictly  the  Corner-Stone  is  not  the  build¬ 
ing,  but  the  basis  on  which  the  building  rests  ;  and  yet  the 
significance  and  supporting  power  of  it  are  mysteriously 
present  in  every  part  of  the  edifice.  Thus  Christ  is  not 
only  the  basis  of  the  church,  but  its  life  as  well — not  oulv 
its  solid,  immovable  foundation,  against  which  the  powers 
of  darkness  rage  in  vain,  but  also  its  essential,  permeating 
spirit,  its  proper  mystical  self,  u  His  Body,  the  fulness  of 
Him  that  filleth  all  in  all.” 

By  a  College  Corner-Stone  we  are  led  it  is  true,  to  a 
lower  plane  of  thought,  but  thought  no  less  symbolically 
distinct  and  impressive  on  this  account.  It  gives  us  the 
idea,  not  of  education  under  its  generalized  character,  which 
finds  its  congenial  home  more  naturally  in  the  vague  region 
of  abstractions  than  among  the  living  men  and  in  actual 
human  society.  Nor  does  it  lead  us  to  the  plural  term  (‘du¬ 
rations,  which  probably  embodies  in  a  more  real  form  the 
conception  of  human  improvement  in  this  educational  view. 
Vast  indeed  is  the  field  which  this  aspect  of  the  case  opens 
to  the  mind  ;  for  educations  are  as  numerous  and  diversified 
as  are  the  leading  principles  which  underlie  them.  To  separ¬ 
ate  the  intellectual  from  the  moral  faculties,  and  both  from  the 
physical  nature  of  man,  gives  already  the  bases  of  three  char¬ 
acteristic  types  of  Education.  Each  characteristic  will  be 
strongly  marked  in  proportion  as  either  principle  prevails 
to  the  neglect  of  the  others.  Thus  you  will  have  mainly  an 
intellectual  education,  or  a  moral  education,  or  a  physical 
education.  Each  of  these  divisions  may  be  subdivided  into 
as  many  others,  whilst  either  of  these  may,  in  turn  be  made 
the  basis  and  determining  principle  of  a  new  educational 
type,  as  clearly  marked  and  strongly  defined  as  any  of  the 
preceding.  Besides  this,  the  various  objects  of  knowledge 
standing  out  of  and  beyond  man,  each  in  its  turn  may  be 
seized  upon  and  made  the  governing  principle.  Thus  we 
may  come  to  have  a  scientific  education,  a  philosophical 
education,  an  historical  education,  &c.  These,  likewise, 


42 


A  COLLEGE  CORNER-STONE 


may  he  subdivided  almost  ad  infinitum ,  and  each  division 
made  to  he  a  controlling  educational  principle.  Thus  we 
have  an  education  in  Chemistry  prevailing,  or  in  Mental 
Philosophy,  as  distinguished  from  Moral  and  Natural  phil¬ 
osophies,  or  in  Profane  as  different  from  Sacred  history,  &c. 

But  infinite  as  these  diversified  types  of  education  are,  or 
may  become,  we  fail  to  find  in  any  of  them  the  Corner-Stone 
principle.  Man  is  neither  spirit,  soul  nor  body  separately 
taken,  hut  all  these  in  one.  So  the  objects  of  knowledge 
with  which  man  in  his  mysterious  constitution  is  related,  lie 
not  simply  in  one  department,  such  as  we  have  specified, 
hut  in  all.  Each  man  is  a  cosmopolitan  by  his  very  nature, 
and  can  only  truly  develop  his  being,  in  the  active  bosom 
of  educational  forces  equally  broad  and  comprehensive. 

Nor  do  we  find  this  Corner-Stone  principle  of  education, 
either  in  the  totality  of  man  under  his  mere  natural 
form,  or  in  the  collected  sum  of  objects  to  be  known,  which 
fall  within  the  largest  circle  of  mere  human  vision.  Man, 
in  the  true  original  elements  of  li is  being,  is  more  than  all 
this.  He  is  greater  than  the  universe,  and  by  his  own  in¬ 
stinctive  nature  he  transcends  it,  following  being,  no  less  an 
object  of  knowledge,  but  which  stretches  immeasureably 
beyond  the  boldest  flights  of  the  grandest  natural  genius. 
The  true  Corner-Stone  principle  of  Education  lies  not  in 
what  man  natural lv  is,  hut  in  what  he  may  become — not  in 
nature,  but  in  grace — not  in  any  or  all  of  his  faculties 
and  functions  combined  derived  bv  birth,  but  in  his  Faith , 
which  is  the  gift  of  God.  Here  in  this  lower  depth,  in  this 
diviner,  broader  and  more  solid  earth,  is  laid  the  true  Cor¬ 
ner-Stone  on  which  alone  rests  that  strand  educational  struc- 
ture  in  which  man  may  evolve  and  expand  harmoniously  all 
his  powers,  and  come  to  know  finally  even  as  also  he  is 
known. 

All  true  education  involves  as  its  deepest  ground — the 
Christian  faith.  On  this  it  rests  and  by  this  it  is  pervaded 
at  every  point.  Man’s  centre,  as  the  consciousness  of  each 
will  declare,  is  not  in  himself,  but  in  Christ,  who  is  the  cen- 


BY  REV.  D.  GANS,  1).  D. 


43 


tre  of  the  world  under  all  its  forms.  No  lower  or  less  con¬ 
tracted  thought  can  fairly  meet  and  interpret  the  stupen¬ 
dous  fact  of  the  incarnation,  God  manifest  in  the  flesh. — 
Being  vital  and  vitally  conditioning  for  the  whole  world, 
physical,  moral  and  intellectual,  the  incarnation  becomes  at 
once,  and  by  necessity,  the  deepest  basis  ot  all  science. 
Constituting  itself,  as  it  does,  the  central,  invisible, 
moulding  type  of  the  world’s  life,  where  else  shall  we 
search  for  the  principle  that  may  be  adequate  to  sound 
its  depths,  to  scale  its  heights,  and  to  solve  its  mysteries? 
Here  alone  man  comes  to  his  true  position,  and  realizes  the 
power  to  penetrate  and  understand  being  in  its  own  order 
and  relations.  Man  is  but  half  himself,  acting  simply  in  the 
bosom  of  the  cold  understanding.  What  is  reason  without 
the  will?  and  yet  will  is  not  reason.  No  less  defective  are 
both  without  faith,  which  is  neither.  Reason  is  never  rea¬ 
son  in  its  true  Godlike  nature,  separated  from  faith.  These 
were  one  at  the  beginning,  and  must  be  one  again,  before 
man  can  even  approximate  the  high  end  of  his  being. 
Genius,  even  of  the  highest  order,  must  continue  to  floun¬ 
der,  in  its  purely  isolated  character,  amid  the  grand  won¬ 
ders  of  Creation  and  Providence.  Faith  only  is  its  true  in¬ 
spiration  and  competent  guide.  Man  needs  intellectually  a 
proper  relation  to  the  grand  system  of  being — a  central 
standpoint  of  observation  and  reflection.  This  can  be  found 
only  in  Christ  as  the  archetypal,  normative  order  of  the 
physical,  moral  and  intellectual  world.  Not  only,  therefore, 
is  Christian  Education  necessary  in  reference  to  those  things 
which  are  spiritual  in  their  nature,  or  for  man  as  he  is  re¬ 
lated  to  the  future  world,  but  for  man  as  such,  and  for  the 
present  order  of  being,  in  the  bosom  of  which  he  lives. 

Illustrations  of  this  truth,  which  carry  with  them  the  ele¬ 
ments  of  proof  at  the  same  time,  may  be  found  in  every 
leading  department  of  human  investigation.  Without  the 
light  of  this  Corner-Stone  principle,  how  intense  the  dark¬ 
ness,  for  instance,  that  is  found  to  brood  over  the  region 
of  the  Natural  Sciences !  What  are  those  invisible, 


44 


A  COLLEGE  CORNER-STONE 


intangible,  everywhere-present  and  mysterious  laws  of 
Nature,  separated  from  a  personal  God?  Who  are  those 
that  have  delved  the  deepest  in  the  fields  of  Geology,  that 
have  soared  the  highest  in  the  sphere  of  Astronomy,  that 
have  comprehended  most  broadly  the  wonders  of  Natural 
History,  and  that  have  wrought  generally  with  the  greatest 
success  in  the  vast  kingdom  of  Nature?  Have  they  not 
been  those  who  have  caught  their  inspiration  at  the  Chris¬ 
tian  Altar — who  have  traced  in  all  these  departments  the 
footprints  of  the  great  Creator?  Was  it  not  the  principle 
which  discovered  the  Deity  behind  the  circle  and  the  trian¬ 
gle  that  has  formed  such  men  as  Pascal,  Leibnitz,  Descartes, 
and  Newton,  at  the  repetition  of  whose  names  the  world 
will  never  weary  ? 

No  mind,  guided  simply  by  the  spirit  of  mere  rationalis¬ 
tic  science,  and  limited  by  its  narrow  boundaries,  can  pro¬ 
perly  appreciate  the  great  moral  forces,  with  their  corres¬ 
ponding  effects,  first  that  of  sin,  and  secondly  that  involving 
its  remedy  in  the  incarnate  person  of  Christ,  which  have 
entered  and  spread  through  the  whole  material  Creation  ; 
and  not  appreciating  these  vast  conditioning  forces,  how  is  it 
possible  to  understand  science  in  its  true  nature  ?  Mani¬ 
festly  a  faculty  is  here  required  deeper  than  any  which  is 
found  in  the  mere  logical  understanding.  Ignoring  the 
principle  of  faith  in  its  connection  with  the  logical  mind, 
we  are  not  to  be  surprised  that  Geology  has  become  so  ex¬ 
tensively  confounded  in  its  attempts  to  read  the  letterings 
of  the  rocks,  and  has  so  often  reached  conclusions  contra¬ 
dictory  in  themselves  and  subversive  of  all  fundamental 
truth.  No  less  has  Astronomy,  moving  on  the  same  low 
plane,  failed  in  acquiring  its  highest  character  and  accom¬ 
plishing  its  grandest  work.  They  lack  in  genial  spirit.  The 
power  of  moral  vision,  opening  them  to  the  moral  forces 
which  condition  and  govern  the  physical,  is  wanting.  Mate¬ 
rial  Nature,  as  a  grand  and  single  organism,  completing  itself 
in  man,  as  man  completes  himself  in  the  God-man,  is  found, 
in  the  way  of  fact,  to  be  and  to  contain  more  than  has  en- 


BY  REV.  D.  GANS,  D.  D, 


4") 


tered  into  their  dream,  or  than  they  find  it  possible  to  com- 
[)ress  within  their  narrow  limits.  The  theory  is  too  circum¬ 
scribed  for  the  facts  ;  and  must  necessarily  be  so,  as  long  as 
it  is  dependent  wholly  upon  the  mere  logical  understanding. 
God  is  in  Nature;  and  no  Science  that  does  not  bow  to  and 
accept  this  fact  as  its  Corner-Stone  principle — as  its  essen¬ 
tial  conditioning  and  intoning  life,  in  connection  with  all 
the  profound  mysteries  which  it  involves  in  the  bosom  of 
Nature,  can  hope,  in  any  degree  or  form  commensurate  with 
the  demand  arising  from  the  case  itself,  either  clearly  to 
perceive  or  fairly  to  represent  its  wonders.  Even  Plato  re¬ 
presented  material  things  as  the  shadows  of  the  thoughts  of 
God.  “  When  Newton  and  Bossuets  repectfully  uncovered 
their  august  heads  while  pronouncing  the  name  of  God,  they 
were  perhaps,”  says  Chateaubriand,  “  more  worthy  of  admi¬ 
ration  at  that  moment  than  when  the  former  weighed  those 
worlds,  the  dust  of  which  the  other  taught  mankind  to  de¬ 
spise.”  “The  whole  Creation,  “says  the  inspired  Record, 
groaneth  and  travaileth  in  pain  together  until  now;”  and  in 
the  recreating  power  which  entered  at  the  point  of  time  here 
indicated,  a  process  was  evidently  started  on  an  ascendiug 
scale,  which  must  finally  issue  in  a  “  new  heaven  and  a  new 
earth.”  No  materialistic  dissecting-knife  process  of  inves¬ 
tigation  can  ever  discover  and  understand  this  deep  spiritual 
soul  of  Nature,  and  exhibit  it  in  its  own  living,  charming- 
features.  The  genius  of  religion  can  alone  open  her  grand 
temple  doors  and  unfold  the  divine  mysteries  which  it  com¬ 
prehends,  each  connecting  organically  with  the  other,  and 
the  last  always  centering  in  God  Himself,  to  whom,  the  mind 
that  has  traced  these  mysteries  most  profoundly  bows  in  the 
spirit  of  the  deepest  adoration. 

E’ass  we  now  to  the  department  of  History,  we  shall  no 
less  clearly  discover  depths  which  the  mere  scientific  mind 
can  never  sound,  mysteries  which  it  can  never  penetrate, 
forces  even  the  presence  of  which  it  can  not  admit,  much 
less  trace  in  their  majestic  movements  through  the  ages. 
The  leading  factor  in  history  is  the  spiritual,  the  divine. 


46 


A  COLLEGE  CORNER-STONE 

Without  this,  history  is  emphatically  a  temple  without  its 
divinity,  a  sun  without  its  light  or  heat,  a  body  without  its 
living,  intelligent  soul.  To  look  upon  the  mighty  past 
without  the  eye  of  faith  to  discover  beyond  its  external 
phenominal  confusion,  a  central  divine  power,  organizing 
its  forces  and  guiding  them  steadily  in  the  accomplishment 
of  the  ultimate  result,  is  at  once  to  rob  it  of  all  significance 
and  interest.  It  is  the  merest  play-ground  of  reckless  powers, 
a  chaos  of  confused,  ungoverned  forces,  involving  no  lessons 
for  the  intelligent  soul,  and  leaving  in  its  blind  movement,  no 
permanent  result  as  a  guide  for  the  future.  It  is  a  dark 
void  in  human  existence — a  mere  tidal  play  of  dashing  cur¬ 
rents,  the  last  extending  not  beyond  the  first,  involving  no 
advance  or  improvement  in  the  general  life  of  the  world. 

The  light  of  Christianity  has  revealed  a  different  state  of 
facts.  It  has  shown  a  power  behind  the  throne.  Deeper 
than  the  designs  of  kings,  are  the  designs  of  Providence. 
The  intrigues  of  Courts  and  Cabinets  are  but  the  conditions 
of  the  development  of  these  designs  and  of  their  real  pro¬ 
clamation  to  the  world.  It  has  discovered  that  each  action, 
great  or  insignificant,  involves  its  own  result,  not  recklessly, 
but  through  the  governance  of  invisible  laws,  as  real  as  those 
that  regulate  the  planets,  and  as  uniform  in  their  course. 
Revolutions,  however  produced,  and  however  grand  in  their 
sweep,  are  never  blind  as  to  their  nature  nor  wholly  wilful 
or  arbitrary  as  to  their  results.  Virtue  and  vice,  in  their 
tragic  conflict  upon  the  broader  historical  stages  which  are 
here  and  there  erected  along  the  corridors  of  time,  may  in¬ 
deed,  in  view  of  human  ambitions  which  occupy  the  fore¬ 
ground,  not  at  first  stand  forth  plainly  in  their  own  proper 
nature  and  relative  strength  as  related  respectively  to  God 
and  Satan  ;  but  as  the  scene  advances,  and  more  especially  as 
it  culminates  in  the  last  decisive  act,  they  may  be  seen  in  their 
own  distinctive  colors,  and  the  former  is  always  found  to  be 
stronger  than  the  latter.  God  has  so  combined  the  physical 
and  moral  order  of  the  world,  that  the  subversion  of  the  lat¬ 
ter  necessarily  induces  a  change  in  the  former,  bringing  on 


BY  REV.  D.  GANS,  D.  D. 


47 


great  revolutions;  which,  fixing  their  crimson  badges  of 
execration  upon  those  who  have  led  the  way  in  criminality, 
disengage  the  truth  and  plant  it  anew  in  richer  soil  and  un¬ 
der  milder  skies.  Through  wreck  and  ruin  progress  mounts 
upon  a  higher  plane,  and  gathering  fresh  vigor  from  the 
death  of  old  institutions,  like  the  vital  germ  of  the  seed  from 
its  decaying  shell  in  the  earth,  it  moves  forward  with  ac¬ 
celerated  velocity  towards  its  high  ultimate  goal.  Through 
death  comes  life — from  the  tomb  break  the  glories  of  the 
resurrection.  Here  again,  it  is  manifest,  that  if  the  mind  is 
to  apprehend  truth  in  its  own  legitimate  form — to  harmonize 
the  apparently  confused  forces  active  in  history,  and  to  see 
that  the  ultimate,  if  not  the  immediate,  results  of  all  the 
grand  historic  conflicts  which  occur  at  different  ages,  are  on 
the  side  of  right  against  wrong,  freedom  against  oppression, 
all  tending  to  the  highest  interests  of  the  race  in  the  end,  it 
must  plant  itself  absolutely  upon  the  Corner-Stone  princi¬ 
ple  of  Faith  in  God  as  He  reigns  in  the  affairs  of  men  and 
among  the  nations.  He  that  sees  not  the  Cross  in  History 
can  never  understand  the  mystery  by  which  the  world  is 
carried  forward  from  age  to  age,  and  by  which  truth  and 
righteousness  shall  be  made  to  stand  forth  at  last  amid  the 
glory  of  an  absolute  victory. 

A  more  attractive  illustration  of  the  same  fact  is  found  in 
the  department  of  the  Fine  Arts.  What  is  the  Beautiful 
but  the  representation  of  the  pure,  the  spiritual,  the  infinite  ? 
and  whence  arises  this  conception,  in  its  true  and  noblest 
form,  but  from  the  Religion  of  Him  who  is  the  fairest  among 
ten  thousand  and  the  one  altogether  lovelv?  From  the 
origin  of  the  Christian  Religion  to  the  present,  have  the  Fine 
Arts  followed  in  her  wake,  owning  her  as  their  mother. 
Lending  her  their  terrestrial  Charms,  she  in  turn  has  con¬ 
ferred  upon  them  her  celestial  divinity. 

The  fountain  of  true  poetry  is  deeper  than  the  mere  logi¬ 
cal  reason,  and  the  fields  which  it  traverses  and  beautifies 
extend  beyond  the  keenest  natural  vision.  The  rapture 
that  inspired  Pindar  in  the  groves  of  Olympia,  no  less  than 


48 


A  COLLEGE  CORNER-STONE 


the  fire  that  kindled  the  genius  of  David  on  the  banks  of 
the  Kedron,  moves  above  the  analysis  of  mere  mind.  Mil- 
ton,  also,  and  Dante  show  the  presence  of  a  faculty  capable 
of  transcending  all  logical  limits,  up  and  down,  and  yet  re¬ 
maining  strictly  logical.  The  ideal  world  belongs  to  man 
as  legitimately  as  the  actual ;  nor  can  his  moral  nature  be 
properly  developed  except  as  it  is  thus  seized,  penetrated 
and  drawn  upwards.  The  images  of  the  infinite  lodged 
thus  by  the  true  poet  in  the  soul  through  the  senses,  beget 
aspirations  after  the  Beautiful  and  Pure  which  have  dis¬ 
closed  the  noblest  powers  of  man. 

Painting  and  sculpture,  equally  with  poetry  and  music, 

transcend  the  boundaries  of  mere  rational  reflection.  Thev 

• 

show  both  by  their  origin  and  nature  that  they  live  in  the 
spiritual  and  infinite.  To  the  beautiful  ideal  belongs  the 
mystic ,  as  breath  belongs  to  a  living  being;  and  in  the  hu¬ 
man  countenance,  formed  by  religion,  you  have  the  ideal 
actualized  as  the  highest  model  both  for  the  sculptor  and 
painter.  From  Greece  we  have  the  pleasant  tradition  that 
a  young  female,  perceiving  the  shadow  of  her  lover  upon  a 
wall,  chalked  the  outlines  of  the  figure,  and  thus  by  a  tran¬ 
sient  passion  produced  the  art  of  the  most  perfect  illusions. 

“Another  master,”  says  an  expressive  French  writer, 
“has  been  found  by  the  Christian  school.  It  has  discovered 
him  in  that  Great  Artist  who,  moulding  a  morsel  of  earth 
in  his' mighty  hand,  pronounced  those  words,  “  Let  us  make 
man  in  our  own  image.”  The  first  stroke  of  design  existed 
therefore  for  us  in  the  eternal  mind,  and  the  first  statue 
which  the  world  ever  beheld  was  the  noble  figure  of  clay 
animated  by  the  breath  of  God.” 

All  the  great  master  pieces,  both  in  painting  and  sculp¬ 
ture,  which  have  sprung  from  the  human  mind,  indicate  no 
less  really,  howevermuch  lower  the  plane  which  forms  their 
base,  the  creational ,  the  infinite  form.  The  grandest  of 
these  actualized  conceptions  on  the  canvas  are  religious, 
showing  that  Christianity,  leading  man  beyond  the  limits  of 
the  mere  sensuous  world,  supplies  not  only  the  grand  con- 


BY  REV.  D.  (JANS,  D.  D. 


49 


ceptions  themselves,  but  the  noble  enthusiasm  also,  the  true 
genius,  by  which  the  infinite  idea  is  fixed  to  the  finite  form 
and  made  to  speak  in  this  character  to  the  soul  through  the 
senses.  The  last  Supper,  the  Crucifixion,  the  Descent  from 
the  Cross,  the  Resurrection,  the  last  Judgment,  all  show  a 
divinity,  a  creational  power,  a  sublimity  of*  conception  and 
a  grandeur  of  execution  which  place  them  altogether  beyond 
even  the  appreciation  of  the  mind  resting  only  in  the  bo¬ 
som  of  its  own  weakness. 

Architecture  carries  in  it  the  same  testimony,  and  time 
would  fail  in  exhausting  the  vein  of  illustrative  thought  in 
relation  to  this  subject.  Mature  is  more  than  matter — man 
is  more  than  mind  ;  the  spiritual,  the  infinite  is  everywhere 
and  in  everything,  forming  the  real  nerve  of  being.  Limited 
only  to  so  much  of  being,  in  any  of  its  forms,  as  mere 
rational  reflection  or  scientific  analysis  may  be  able  to 
penetrate,  understand,  and  in  this  way  embrace,  to  what 
an  infinitesimal  speck  would  man’s  existence  be  bound. 
Mystery  belongs  to  being,  just  as  being  is  the  object  of 
scientific  investigation.  Every  department  of  thought  shows 
the  necessity  of  a  broader  and  deeper  principle.  No  form 
of  Education  that  does  not  involve  the  faith  as  well  as  the 
understanding  of  man,  can  be  commensurate  with  the 
requirements  of  the  case  itself,  much  less  lead  the  soul  to  the 
true  end  of  its  own  being.  Mind  in  its  own  nature  without 
the  spiritual  sense  which  originally  was  essential  to  it,  and 
central  in  it,  is  helplessly  in  the  bosom  of  rationalistic  infi¬ 
delity,  in  which  it  can  neither  properly  understand  itself,  the 
world,  nor  God,  whose  presence  it  everywhere  enshrines. 
Our  plea  is  for  Christian  education,  as  alone  competent  to 
meet  the  demand  of  the  mind,  as  alone  able  to  comprehend 
the  world,  as  alone  qualified,  in  the  way  of  real  principle, 
to  link  our  present  being  intelligently  to  that  which  shall 
be  in  a  higher  world.  Let  the  College  Corner-Stone,  there¬ 
fore,  which  we  lay  this  day,  definitely  represent  this  deeper 
and  broader  basis  of  education;  let  it  testify  that  this  foun¬ 
dation  principle  will  be  made  equally  to  permeate  all  parts 


50 


A  COLLEGE  CORNER-STONE 


of  the  educational  structure,  the  Mathematics  as  well  as  the 
Moral  Philosophy,  the  Natural  Sciences  as  well  as  the  Aes¬ 
thetics.  Then  shall  the  youthful  mind,  passing  annually 
from  this  centre  into  the  several  professions  of  life,  prop¬ 
erly  know  itself,  and  be  able  equitably  to  balance  itself 
amid  the  skeptical  pressures  of  the  age. 

We  cannot  conceal  from  our  minds  the  fact,  that  the  edu¬ 
cational  idea,  wakeful  and  energetic  as  it  is  in  many  direc¬ 
tions,  is  neither  as  high  nor  as  rich  and  full,  in  the  present,  as 
it  has  been  in  the  past.  The  defect  lies  not  in  the  number 
of  studies,  nor  in  their  classification,  but  in  the  ground  on 
which  they  rest  and  the  moral  tone  that  pervades  them. 
Metaphysical  analysis,  in  seeking  rational  precision,  has  to 
too  great  an  extent  expelled  from  the  scheme  of  educa¬ 
tion  its  warm,  glowing  life,  and  reduced  it  to  a  mere 
summary  of  dead  abstract  formulas,  which  are  as  unnatu¬ 
ral  to  the  reason  as  they  are  repulsive  to  the  intuitional 
nature  of  man.  It  lacks  in  the  mystic  genius  of  Chris¬ 
tianity.  In  becoming  too  rigidly  scientific,  it  has  become 
too  unbelieving.  Faith  enters  not,  in  a  sufficiently  cen¬ 
tral  and  earnest  way,  into  its  essence.  It  is  wanting  in 
depth,  comprehensiveness,  glow,  charm.  The  effect  has 
been  to  weaken  the  nerve  of  modern  Literature,  to  dry  up 
to  a  great  extent  the  true  fountain  of  inspiration,  to  limit 
the  vast  domain  of  living  thought,  and  greatly  to  mate¬ 
rialize  and  to  this  extent  degrade  all  the  leading  depart¬ 
ments  of  intellectual  energy.  The  blight,  beginning  with 
science  and  philosophy,  has  passed  to  poetry  and  romance. 
Like  wilted  flowers,  they  hang  upon  their  slender  vine. 
Music,  also  has  declined  in  richness  and  melody  of  tone. 
Painting  lacks  back-ground  and  expression.  Architecture 
is  tame  and  for  the  most  part  uninspiring  and  unmeaning. 
Philosophy  has  lost  its  ancient  enthusiasm  and  loiters  lazily 
in  its  great  work ;  and  even  around  Theology,  the  sublimest 
and  divinest  of  all  studies,  has  been  gathering  a  withering 
rationalistic  spirit  which,  in  many  directions,  threatens  its 
very  life. 


BY  REV.  D.  GANS,  D.  D. 


51 


A  reformation  is  needed  in  the  scheme  of  education.  The 
great  principle  of  Christian  faith,  which  is  to  it  what  the 
sun  is  to  the  physical  world,  must  enter  it  to  a  much  greater 
extent.  The  great  departments  of  knowledge  must  be  set 
free  from  the  narrow  bands  of  rationalism  and  infidelity. 
The  soul  of  the  youth  must  be  taught  to  break  through  the 
murkiness  of  unbelief,  on  the  principle  of  a  deeper,  broader 
and  more  genial  science.  Mature  and  Art,  History  and 
Philosophy  must  be  allowed  to  speak  their  own  mystic 
words  and  impress  the  divinity  which  they  enshrine.  In  a 
word  the  Corner-Stone  principle  of  true  Christian  education, 
qualifying  man  to  meet  God  in  all  the  avenues  of  thought, 
and  to  glorify  Him  in  all  the  forms  of  active  life,  must  be 
re-laid. 

In  the  spirit  of  this  higher  Philosophy,  and  upon  this 
deeper  and  more  solid  ground,  we  now  proceed  to  lay  the 
Corner-Stone  of  Muhlenberg  College,  and  announce  the 
opening  of  a  new  centre  of  liberal,  Christian  education, 
which  deeply  penetrating  Nature,  will  steadily  point  to 
Nature’s  God. 


din  Sort  fur  grimWidje  Sdjultnlimng. 


Seutfrfje  Webe,  flefjatten  bei  ber  (Fifftciutcßuiiß  eitteö  neuen  ©cbäubeg  beg  9Jlü^fenberg=(f ol= 
tegiumb  in  Mllentotam,  <Ha.,  am  4ten  September  1867, 

son  ccm 

@brn>.  3.  SÖogelbacb, 

$aftor  ber  lutberifcpen  8t.  3acobuS=©emetnbe  in  $t)itabety&ia. 


Verehrte  3u^'rer ' — D*r  3*®*^  ber  gütigen  ißerfammlung  ift  ein 
hoher  unb  erfreulicher ;  es  foü  ein  (Scfftein  gelegt  werben  $u  einem  weü 
teren  ©ebäube,  welches  $ur  (Erziehung,  $ur  wiffenfdjaftlichen  ^eranbil* 
bung  ber  3ugenb  beftimmt  unb  benüfct  werben  foil.  8chon  feit  mehreren 
3a|ren  hcitte  bie  8tabt  Mentown  unb  Umgegenb  bas  ©lücf,  eine  wiffen* 
fchaftliche  (Erjiehungs^nftalt  in  ihrer  9Jiitte  $u  haben,  aus  welker  3ög  = 
ltnge  t)eroorgingen,  bie  je^t  in  ihren  verfchiebenen  33erufSfreifen  als 
brauchbare  unb  nützliche  Männer  bafiehen  unb  bie  ben  ©runb  ihrer  fpä* 
tern  93rauchbarfeit  in  bem  früheren  fogenannten  Mentorcn  ®eminar, 
gegrünbet  son  bem  talentvollen,  leiber  gtt  früh  bahingefchiebenen  Pfarrer 
.ftefjler,  gelegt  hatten. 

£>ie  intelligenten  Bürger  ber  8tabt  unb  9tachbarfchaft  erfannten  ben 
beilfamen  (Einfluß  einer  folgen  v2lnftalt  febr  wohl,  unb  ruhten  unb  rafte- 
ten  nicht,  bis  fte  biefelbe  jii  einem  folgen  Stange  erhoben  hatten,  um  fte 
ebenbürtig  an  bie  8eite  ähnlicher  gelehrten  3nftitute  beS  SanbeS  (teile,!! 
$u  fönnen.  9ftit  einer  5lngal)l  tüchtiger  ^rofejforen,  bie  befeelt  ftnb  mit 
bem  Verlangen,  il)r  mannigfaltiges  2öijfen  treu  ju  verwerten,  bie  3ög* 
linge  an  ber  £anb  $u  nehmen,  fte  einjuführen  in  bie  unerfchöpflichen 
8chachten  ber  Jöiffenfchaften, — an  ihrer  ®ptfce  ber  erprobte  unb  gelehrte 
'Päbagog  Dr.  9J?ühlenberg, — geleitet  von  einem  energifchen  unb  inteüi* 
genten  £)ireftorium, — tritt  nun  bie  erneuerte  2lnftalt  unter  bem  ehren* 
werthen  tarnen  „fühlen berg  Kollegium"  bas  erjte  8emefttr  ber  neuen 
£ehrwirffamfeit  an. 

Allentown  unb  Umgegenb  ift  ein  herrlicher  ©arten  ©ottes  ju  nennen, 
ber  ßultunuftanb  wirb  von  feiner  ©egenb  ^ennfplvanienS  übertroffen, 
bie  ^Bewohner  ftnb  ftttliche  unb  biebere  9ftenfchen,  ©ott  hat  bas  Füllhorn 
feiner  ©üte  reichlich  über  8tabt  unb  l*anb  auSgegoffen,  B^i§  unb  2lr* 
beit  mit  8einem  8egen  gefront ;  überall  wo  wir  htnblicfen,  treten  uns 
bie  ®puren  beS  2Bohlftanbes  unb  beS  ^ortfehritts  wohlthuenb  über* 


Son  Rafter  3.  Sogelbacp,  in  $t)tlabelpt)ta. 


58 


rafdjenb  entgegen, — unb  barum  ift  eß  rec^t  unb  billig  unb  bem  naturge* 
maßen  Entwidlungßgange  entfpred)enb,  baß  aud)  ^ier  unter  einer  folgen 
mit  irbifcben  Gütern  reichltd)  gefegneten  Beoölferung,  eine  2lnftalt  für 
©eißeßbilbung  beftehe,  blühe  unb  geheime.  Denn  waß  hilft  ber  Beßtg 
itbifd)er  unb  oergänglidjer  ©üter,  wenn  baß  Ebelfte  im  9ftenfd)en,  fein 
©etß,  uncultioirt  bleibt.  3rbifd)e  @d)ä(3e  finb  allerlei  S33ed)felfäUen 
unterworfen,  man  fann  ße  oerlteren,  aber  bte  Sd)äfce  beß  ©eißeß,  erwor* 
ben  burd)  eine  gute  Eqiehung,  bte  bleiben. 

3u  allen  3eitcn,  bei  allen  Sulturoölfern  haben  eble  üWenfcben  bal)in 
;u  ftreben  gefucht,  Eqiehung  unb  ©eißeßbilbung  $u  förbertt.  Selbft  bie 
ebeln  unter  ben  Reiben  oor  Shrifti  3«i^«  erfannten  unb  fpradjen  eß  auß, 
baß  baß  s3flenfd)enleben  nur  bann  einen  2öertl)  l>abe,  wenn  eß  burd)  ©ei* 
ßeebtlbung  geabelt  werbe.  Daher  blühten  fd)on  bamalß  in  Egppten, 
©ried)enlanb,  unb  in  9tom  ^Pflanjftätten  ber  2öiffenfd)aften,  afabemifche 
Schulen  unb  bie  Sulfur  ber  fünfte.  3a  felbft  bei  ben  Uroölfern  ber 
grauen  Soweit  befunbete  ßd)  bas  liegen  unb  Drängen  beb  menfd)lid)en 
©eifteß  nad)  SBiffen  unb  Erfennen  nnb  baß  einmal  Erfannte  fort^ubaueu, 
mit3utbeilen,  um  eß  31t  einem  nützlichen  ©emeingut  2111er  3U  machen. 
Bliden  wir  3  23.  l)in  auf  bte  alten  SBeifen  beß  Drientß,  wie  ße  ftül  for* 
fd)enb  ben  geftirnten  Fimmel  betrauten,  ber  ßd)  lid)tfunfelnb  über  ihren 
Jpäupten  wölbt;  jebe  neue  Erfdjeinung,  jebe  Beränberung  baran,  gibt 
ihnen  neuen  (Stoff  3um  Denfen  unb  gorfcben,  ße  fammeln  U)re  Beo* 
bad)tungen,  feilen  ße  2lnbern  mit  unb  fo  burd)  3al)rhunberte  hinburd) 
wirb  bie  Zumute  ber  2Bat)rnel)mungen  größer, — ber  ©runb  gur  aftrono* 
ntifd)en  2öiffenfd)aft  ift  gelegt  unb  wirb  fpäter  oon  Beißern  nad)  Spftemen 
georbnet  unb  gelehrt.  So  oerhält  eß  ßd)  mit  ben  Uranfängen  aller  2Ötf* 
fenfd)aften.  sJftenfd)en  fammelten  U)re  Beobachtungen  unb  Erfahrungen, 
anbere  oermet)rten  ße  burd)  neue  gorfd)ungen  unb  Entbedungen,  wieber 
21nbere  famen  unb  oerbefferten  unb  fcbieben  baß  SÖahre  00m  galfchen. 
Unb  fo  arbeitet  ber  s3}ienfd)engeift  außgerüftet  mit  immer  neuen  Jpilfßmit^ 
teln  raftloß  fort  auf  bcm  unenblid)en  ©ebiete  beß  SBiffenß,  beß  Erfor* 
fd)enß  unb  Ertennenß.  Jpier  fann  eß  feinen  Stillftanb  geben,  bie  $3if* 
fenfd)aft  brid)t  ftd)  immer  neue  Bahnen,  entbedt  immer  neue  gelber,  bie 
3ur  X^ätigfeit  einlaben,  alle  Stänbe  werben  oon  ihrem  gortfcbrttte  be* 
rührt,  Sheologen,  3»riften,  s3ftebt3iner,  2lrtißen,  Siteraten  unb  gachmän* 
ner  jeber  2lrt  werben  oon  ihr  immer  wieber  3U  neuen  Stubien  angeregt; 
ber  gabrtfant,  ber  ©efd)äftßmann,  ber  ©ewerbtreibenbe  föniten  ße  nicht 
entbehren,  ße  flopft  felbft  an  bie  befd)eibene  Sßohnung  beß  einfachen 
Sanbmanneß.  2öer  nicht  auf  fie  achten  ober  ihrem  gorfchritte  wiber* 
ftehcn  will,  wirb  erß  burd)  eigenen  «Schaben  flug. 


54 


(Sin  SBort  fur  grünblicbe  Scpulbilbung. 


SMe  viele  Sortheilc  geniegt  nicht  ter  migenfchaftlich  ©ebilbete  vor 
tern,  ber  in  ©eigeobefchränftheit  ohne  (Erziehung  b^angetna^fen  ift. 
3ür  Siele  unter  ihnen  hut  nur  bag  Materielle  einen  S3erth,  biefeg  nur 
ig  bag  ihre$  täglichen  (Strebend  unb  im  Sefi£  beffelben  glauben  fie 
bag  mähre  ©lücf  bes  Sebeng  gefunben  zu  hu&eu;  an  rohen  thierifchen 
^reuben  ftnben  fte  allein  einen  vorübergehenben  ©enug,  mo  hingegen 
ber  jünger  ber  ffiiffenfcbaft,  groggezogen  unb  genährt  an  ben  Prüften 
ber  Weisheit,  £>öhereg  unb  (Eblereg  fennt,  bag  eine  nie  vergegente 
Quelle  ber  $reube  unb  beg  ©lücfeg  für  ihn  mirb.  SÖenn  ber  (Sine  in 
ber  SÖeltgefchicbte  eine  unentzifferbare  ^ieroglpphenfchrift  erblicft,  liegt 
ber  anber  tie  £anbjüge  beg  oberften  SBeltregenten  barinnen,  ber  ben 
Golfern  ihre  Sahnen  bezeichnet,  ge  erhebt  unb  jerfchmeigt,  unb  ge  bient 
ihm  alg  metfe  Sehrmeigertn  für  bie  ©egenmart  unb  Brunft.  Sinb  für 
ben  (Einen  bie  SBerfe  ber  Schöpfung,  bie  Statur  mit  ihren  (Erlernungen 
ein  verfiegelteg  Such,  fo  bringt  ber  Slnbere  mit  ben  £ülfgmitteln  ber 
SÖijfenfchaft  burch  bie  verflogene  Pforte,  erforfcht  ihre  ©eheimnige,  be= 
laufest  bag  ftiüe  SMrfen  ihrer  fchaffenben  $ung,  förbert  ihre  verborgnen 
Schäle  an’g  Sicht  zum  Segen  ber  SSelt  unb  erfchaut  unb  bemunbert  bie 
©röge,  Allmacht  unb  Feigheit  beg  grogen  Söerfmeifterg. 

X)aher  ermeeft,  läutert  unb  leitet  bag  £)enfvermögen  beg  3ünglingg, 
lehrt  ihn  richtig  benfen  unb  fchUegen,  lagt  ihn  trinfen  aug  bem  Sorn  ber 
Feigheit,  beg  Sichteg  unb  ber  SÖahrheit,  pflanzt  in  ihn  Sinn  unb  ©e= 
fühl  für  bag  ©ute,  Söahre  unb  Schöne  unb  er  wirb,  menn  er  bie  Sehren 
in  fein  S3efen  unb  Seben  aufnimmt,  ein  nüfclicheg  ©lieb  ber  menfchlichen 
©efetlfchaft,  ein  brauchbarer  Sürger  beg  Staateg  merben» 

Unter  einer  grünblichen  Schulbilbung  vergehen  mir  aber  nicht  eine 
blog  magenhafte  Anhäufung  von  ©egengänben,  melche  ber  Schüler  burch 
mechanifcheg  Memoriren  in  fein  ©ebächtnig  aufnimmt  unb  bie  bort  alg 
tobter  Suchgabe  niebergelegt  mirb.  Wein,  biefer  tobte  Suchftabe  mug 
burch  erflärenben  Unterricht,  burch  analptife  Sehanblung  zu  ©eig  unb 
Seben  entflammen  unb  ermeefenb  unb  zünbenb  auf  bie  gacultäten  beg 
©eifteg  einmirfen  unb  zum  erfagten  unb  nufringenben  Sergänbnig 
merben.  Seger  meniger  SMffen  unb  bag  recht  vergehen,  mag  man  weig, 
alg  vieleg  fBijfen  ohne  flareg  Sergänbnig*  Wur  burch  eine  vergänbige 
unb  gefehlte  Anleitung  zum  Selbgbenfen  unb  zur  Searbeitung  beg 
Sehrgogeg  burch  Selbggubium  unter  einer  meifen  Digciplin  beg  ©eigeg, 
mirb  ber  Schüler  am  gchergen  unb  fchnellgen  geh  eine  mahre  unb  ge* 
biegene  Schulbilbung  aneignen  unb  ben  S<ha£  feiner  Äenntnige  be* 
reihern.  Wur  bag,  mag  unferm  ©eige  zum  Selbgbemugtfein  mirb,tann 
er  in  feiner  neugefdjagenen  correcten  Segrigg*  unb  gormbilbung  fein 
eigen  nennen» 


$on  $afior  3. Ißogelbacp,  in  Wlatelvfyta. 


55 


‘Der  Menfcf)  allein,  mit  Vernunft  unb  ißerftanb  begabt,  mit  feinem  un* 
fterblichen  ©eifte  ift  erziehungs*  unt)  bilbungsfäl)tg,  bas  Ihier  fann  höch; 
ftenö  eine  Dreffur  erhalten.  s2lber  nicht  MeS,  mas  man  als  Gilbung  zu 
bezeichnen  beliebt,  ift  rechte  SMlbung,  oft  ift  fte  nur  (Sinbilbung  ober  eine 
Dreffur  ohne  Erziehung.  Man  fann  einen  Scfjafc  oon  ©iffenfehaften 
beftjzen,  eine  $ertigfett  haben,  feine  ©ebanfen  in  fchöner  9lebe  auszu* 
brüefen,  nach  ben  Regeln  ber  Jpöflichfeit  mit  2Inftanb  in  ber  ©efellfchaft 
ftch  bemegen  unb  babei  bod)  ein  höchft  oerbitbeter  unb  oerfommener  Menfch 
fein*  3ur  mähren  Menfchenbilbung  unb  (Erziehung  gehört  noch  etmas 
höheres,  unb  biefes  ftnben  mir  nur  in  ber  Religion  (Ehrtftt.  Seitbem 
bie  Sonne  ber  ©eiftermelt,  (EhtiftuS,  erfchienen,  muß  auch  bie  ©iffen* 
fchaft  burch  ihre  licht*  unb  lebenbringenben  Strahlen  burchleucbtet,  ge* 
heiligt  unb  perflärt  merben.  Unb  nur  burch  ^as  3n  =  ftch=5lufnehmen 
bes  ©eiftes  Deffen,  ber  ftd)  felbft  nennt  bas  ^id)t  ber  ©eit,  ben  ©eg, 
bie  ©ahrhett  unb  bas  geben,  mirb  ber  Schüler  mahthaft  zum  ebeln  Men* 
fchen  gebilbet,  fein  ©eift  bie  rechte  Dichtung  erhalten  unb  feine  (Erziehung 
mit  Segen  gefrönt  merben.  (Eine  Schule,  melcher  biefer  ©eift  biefes 
gid)t,  biefes  i'eben  mangelt,  fann  mol)l  bie  intellectueüen  Kräfte  bes  $er* 
fjanbes  meefen,  aber  nie  bas  £erz  ermärmen  unb  oerebeln. 

3n  biefer  s2lnftalt,  bem  Muhlenberg  Collegium,  feilen  Knaben  unb 
jünglinge  ihre  2$orbilbung  in  Sprachen  unb  ©iffenfehaften  erhalten, 
für  ihren  fünftigen  gebensberuf,  bem  fte  ftch  fpäter  zumenben  mollen. 
künftige  ©eiehrte,  Merzte,  3uriften,  Diener  bes  Staates  unb  ber  Kirche 
unb  inhere  merben  einftenS  mit  Danfbarfeit  auf  fte  als  ihre  Alma  Mater 
Zurücfbltcfen,  bie  fchönften  (Erinnerungen  ihres  Gebens  merben  ftch  an  fte 
anfnüpfen.  ö  mie  ermuthigenb  unb  lohnenb  muß  es  für  folche  fein, 
benen  bie  michtige  unb  hohe  Aufgabe  gemorben  ift,  als  Lehrer  unb  Leiter 
einem  folgen  3nftitute  oorzuftehen,  bas  fo  nu0  unb  fegenbringenb  für 
bie  Mit*  unb  Wachmelt  zu  merben  oerfpricht,  unb  fo  großen  (Einfluß  in 
ber  menfehlichen  ©efellfchaft  ausübt,  mie  aufmunternb  für  bie  greunbe 
unb  sBeförberer  ber  (Erziehung,  biefem  guten  ©erfe  ihre  £ülfe  unb  Mit* 
mirfung  angebeihen  zu  laffen.  Unb  unter  biefen  ^reunben  zählen  mir 
mit  ^reuben  bie  ©lieber  ber  lutfjerifchen  Kirche,  umfomel)r,  ba  bas  luthe* 
rifefje  Minifterium  oon  ^ennfploanten  in  einer  gemiffeu  s23erbinbung  mit 
bem  Mühlenberg  Collegium  fteht  unb  in  feinem  "BermaltungSrathe  per* 
treten  ift.  ©ir  ermarten  unb  hoffen  mit  3uPerficht,  baß  manche  3ög* 
linge  biefer  2lnftalt  fpäter  ftch  bem  Stubium  ber  Xheologie  zumenben  unb 
in  ben  Dienft  ber  Kirche  etntreten  merben. 

3um  Schluffe  noch  eine  33emerfung.  ©ir  haben  mit  großer  23efrte* 
bigung  pernommen,  baß  auch  bie  beutfehe  Sprache  in  ben  Stubienplan 


56 


Sin  2Bort  für  gründliche  Schulbildung, 


aufgenommen  ift  unb  ihr  tie  oerbiente  Anerfennung  oerfchafft  merben 
foil.  3«  ber  Sprache  eineb  Solfeb  fpiegeln  ftch  alle  beffen  Sigenthüm* 
Uchfeiten,  gute  unb  fchlechte,  mteber,  f?e  ift  aub  bem  innerften  ©efen  bef= 
felben  heroorgegangen,  ein  $robuft  beb  ©eifteb  unb  ©emütheb.  3n  ber 
beutfchen  Sprache  namentlich  liegen  bie  Schäle  unb  ebeln  (Sigenfchaften 
beb  beutfchen  ©eifteb  unb  ©emütheb  verborgen:  ©erabheit,  Derbheit, 
$raft,  ^utraulichfeit,  p^iIofop^ifd)er  unb  ©emüthbreichtbum.  iSBie  ber 
mächtige  ©eift  Alleb  mit  gleichem  (Srfolge  umfaßt,  fo  lä§t  ftch  auch  in  ber 
beutfchen  Sprache  Alleb  unb  3ebeb  aubbrücfen,  mag  eb  tem  ©ebiete  ber 
fünfte  ober  ben  eraften  2Biffenfchaften  angehören,  ober  irgenb  einen 
Seelenjuftanb,  son  ber  tiefften  unb  erhabenften  iftuhe  bib  $ur  größten 
Seibenfchaftlichfeit,  bezeichnen.  An  Oteichthum  ber  ABorte  unb  ©ebanfen 
unb  ber  Satjbilbung  fommt  feine  Sprache  ber  ABelt  ber  beutfchen  gleich. 
Sie  tft  ber  Schlüffel  zum  rechten  Serftänbnijz  ber  ^robufte  unb  Schäle 
beb  beutfchen  ©eifteb,  bie  (Jingangbpforte  in  bie  gelber  ber  ABiffenfchaften, 
bie  ber  beutfche  ©eift  bebaut  unb  gepflegt  hat.  £)arum,  iJftühlenberg 
Kollegium,  halte  fie  hoch  in  (Ehren  unb  pflege  fte  moöl ! 

Söohlan,  benn,  fo  lege  man  ben  ©runbftein  $um  neuen  ©ebäube;  mir 
rufen  ben  Arbeitern  zu:  ©ut  Jpeil  unb  ©lücf  gum  Sau!  <£0^öge  ber 
Segen  beb  Allmächtigen,  ber  ba  ijt  ein  Sater  ber  Sichter  unb  »on  bem 
alle  guten  unb  ooUfommenen  ©aben  herfommen,  auf  ber  Anftalt,  ihren 
Sehrern  unb  Schülern  unb  ihrem  Sermaltungbrathe  ruhen  für  unb  für ! 


